


Moonshine, Blood and Chains

by RyuichiSakuma



Series: Crazy Little Thing Called Love [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Bullying, Child Neglect, Comedy, Discipline, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fetish, Gen, Genital Piercing, I am SO SORRY that I took so long getting this posted, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Porn, Prostitution, Sexual Content, Sexual Humor, Slavery, Swearing, Violence, explanation in the author's notes as to why it took so long to post chapter 7
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-25 01:55:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3792262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuichiSakuma/pseuds/RyuichiSakuma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with a festival and eight full mason jars.  </p><p>The island natives call the contents of the mason jars “The Blood of the Gods.”</p><p>Sanji knew it by a different name.</p><p>Moonshine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Blood of the Gods

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first full-length story in the One Piece fandom. It was supposed to be a PWP, but then it took on a life of its own. It seems to have become a multichaptered story, but how many chapters, I have no idea. (^_^);
> 
> For those that choose to read it, I hope you like it!
> 
>  **Edit:** I forgot to thank my beta, Eiri, without who this story wouldn't have made a lot of sense to anyone but me. OTL
> 
>  **Second Edit:** I can't figure out how to have this note show only on the first chapter, so I'm adding it here until I figure it out. orz
> 
> Seme ("to attack") and Uke ("the person who "receives") were originally martial arts terms, that's why Zoro became confused.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seme_%28martial_arts%29
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uke_%28martial_arts%29

The clear blue afternoon sky slowly faded into evening as Sanji wove his way carefully through the crowds of people. Barely able to avoid the crush, the chef danced nimbly around some excited children as they ran towards a group of women. The eight lidded mason jars, each containing a full quart of the 'Blood of the Gods' clinked together but did not break as he steadied the box they were in.

 

“Sanji!”

 

Sanji stopped and turned towards the sound of his captain's voice, using his tongue to shift the ever present cigarette from one side of his mouth to the other. He peered around the throngs of revelers and saw Luffy with a mouth full of food at a sidewalk stand. The sign overhead read 'Meat on a Stick.' He approached the stand in time to watch Luffy shove yet another handful of skewered meat into his mouth. The booth's owner looked torn between happiness for the sales he was making and panicked for the rapid depletion of his inventory.

 

“C'mon Sanji, I found us a guy who makes this 'Blood of the Gods' stuff, I know you and Zoro like alcohol, right?” the captain asked as he gnawed on a huge piece of meat. “I asked him to join the crew, but he has a family that lives here so I thought that you could learn from him instead!”  
  
“I think I'll pass this time,” Sanji replied, blowing out a cloud of smoke and hefting the box. “Besides, I already got the recipe. I'll meet you at the Sunny later on tonight.”

 

“Oh okay. Oh, I almost forgot! The guy said that we could join him and his family after the fireworks and stay with them tonight so we can keep partying! The rest of the crew already knows, you were the last, and since Zoro's guarding the ship, I figured I'd find you and tell you!” the enthusiastic teen explained, his mouth still full.

 

The cook smiled and shook his head.

 

“Thanks but no thanks. I'm already a bit tired. I think I'll sleep on the Sunny.”

 

“Okay Sanji. Your loss!” Spying blue hair, Luffy waved at Franky as Sanji turned to leave.

 

“Sanji's heading back to the ship, so everything's okay for us to go to Gotoh's house after the festival!” he heard Luffy explain to the shipwright, who nodded. Both men reached for the same stick of sauteed meat as the vendor watched. The last thing that Sanji heard as he walked away was the pair growling at each other. The chef could only shake his head and smile.

 

Continuing to make his way carefully through the revelers, he breathed a sigh of relief as well as smoke as they began to thin out. Guessing that many people were starting to head off to where they could get the best seats for the upcoming fireworks, he shifted the box a bit as a mild night breeze made itself known, cooling the sweat on his exposed forearms and lower legs. His t-shirt and knee-length shorts, perfect for the hot day the summer island had previously, now wasn't quite enough to keep the chef warm. Shivering as another breeze touched his skin, he hurried as best he could to the port where they had docked the Thousand Sunny.

 

“OI, shitty swordsman! Are you guarding or sleeping?” he called up to the deck, grinning mischievously when a head of green hair leaned over from the deck.

 

“For your information, I just finished my workout,” Roronoa Zoro said back down to the blond. Taking a drink from his water bottle, he watched out of his one good eye as Sanji made his way up the plank.

 

“If you're interested, I have something more fun to drink than water,” Sanji said grinning as he hefted the box, the jars inside shifting.

 

“Naw, that's okay. I heard a little about that “Blood of the Gods” stuff. I don't want to drink anyone's blood, especially of something that I don't believe exists,” Zoro replied as he put down his water bottle and picked up a towel, his muscles glistening in the light of the setting sun as he rubbed his head dry.

 

“Its alcohol, dumbassed leaf-brain,” Sanji explained, chewing on the end of the expired cigarette butt. “The natives call it that fancy name, but I call it by what we used to call it back on the Baratie. Moonshine.”

 

“Booze?” Zoro asked, his interest perked as he paused his head-rubbing. “I'm interested.”

 

“I figured you would be,” the blond said, smirking as he walked toward the galley. Zoro grabbed his swords and dark blue shirt and followed, the towel now lying over one shoulder, watching almost eagerly as Sanji threw out the cigarette butt.

 

“So, when are we gonna drink it? I want some now,” the green-haired man said in a gruff voice.

 

“Hold your horses. Don't you want something nice to eat with it?”

 

“I could go for something to eat,” Zoro admitted. “Working out always makes me hungry.”

 

Sanji placed the box down on the table and walked over to the refrigerator as Zoro sat down at the table and opened the box. Picking up one of the jars, he opened it and sniffed at the contents.

 

“Smells strong, just the way I like it!” he said, taking a quick swig. “Ahhh, that hits the spot!”

 

“Here you go,” Sanji said, placing a plate full of finger food and two empty mugs by the box before taking a seat. Taking out a second jar, he lit another cigarette and placed it in an ashtray before pouring himself a cupful. Taking a sip, he nodded before taking a cracker off of the plate and biting into it.

 

“Okay, what's the catch shit cook?” Zoro asked before taking a healthy mouthful of alcohol. Sanji blushed lightly before drinking more of the liquid and placing the cigarette between his lips as he tried to gather his thoughts. Blowing out a cloud of smoke, he shrugged.

 

“Can't a man want to enjoy some alcohol with a nakama?” he asked, fuming slightly before taking another swallow then putting down the nearly empty mug. Topping off his mug, he shrugged.

 

“Its going to be nice to be able to sleep with only one other person snoring,” Sanji added, half-joking.

 

Zoro stared for a moment at the chef before taking another deep swallow, nearly draining the jar before reaching for the snacks. Eating some, he washed it down with more of the alcohol.

 

Sanji sat and watched for a bit before drinking deep from his mug. Putting the cigarette to his lips, he inhaled deep before letting the smoke find its way out of his mouth.

 

“I think we should stock up on this moonshine stuff, cook,” the green haired man finally said, looking at his nearly empty jar. “It would be nice to be able to drink this every now and then.” Eating another snack, he rinsed it down with the last of the jar's contents.

 

“I'm sure that the others will bring back more tomorrow. They're spending the night partying at a guy's house that makes it. Not to mention I got the recipe,” Sanji added, smirking.

 

The swordsman nodded as he put down then now empty jar and picked up another one. Taking the lid off of it, he took another healthy swallow before burping and wiping his mouth with his towel.

 

“This really hits the spot cook. I'm glad you brought some back,” he grumbled, a light blush coloring his cheeks before picking up another snack and shoving it into his mouth.

 

“I'll have Franky build a still so I can make it any time. That way, all we'd need is the ingredients,” Sanji said, taking another drink before puffing on his cigarette.

 

Zoro snickered as he looked at the jar he was holding.

 

“Can you imagine Luffy drinking this stuff? Its pretty strong, even I'm beginning to feel a little something. Glad I'm not with the crew.”

 

Sanji smirked as he added, “He's usually pretty fucking happy, can you imagine him as a happy drunk?”

 

“He'd probably start singing and then want everyone to join in. Too bad he can't carry a tune in a bucket.”

 

“Not even if they took the bucket and put it in a wheelbarrow!”

 

Both men snickered as they thought of their captain before simultaneously taking deep drinks from their respective containers. Draining his, Zoro reached for a third jar as Sanji opened another jar and poured himself another mugful.

 

“OH SHIT! There might have been pretty ladies there and I'm missing out!” Sanji cried out, thunking his mug down and causing some to slosh out.  
  
“Doubtful. I saw some of the people from the deck and they looked pretty ordinary to me,” Zoro said, shrugging.

 

“Of COURSE you'd think they would be 'ordinary!' You don't even realize how beautiful Nami-swan and Robin-chwan are!” Sanji retorted, glaring at Zoro.

 

“I know perfectly well how pretty they are. They're just not my type,” Zoro said, taking a swallow from his jar.

 

“You have a 'type,' Marimo? I didn't even know you had a libido, much less notice how beautiful women can be!” Sanji said, snorting.

 

“Of course I have a 'type,' ero-cook! I'm not dead!” Zoro said, leaning over the table to glare directly at Sanji, who leaned forward to return the glare.

 

“Okay, shit swordsman, what _exactly_ is your type? And I'm not meaning a katana, either!”

 

Zoro glared at Sanji for a bit longer before turning beet red and sitting back down. Taking a snack cracker, he shoved it into his mouth and washed it down with half of his remaining drink.

 

“See? I knew it! You don't _have_ a 'type!” Sanji crowed, smirking and taking a celebratory drink from his mug.

 

“Do too,” Zoro said under his breath.

 

“Let me guess,” Sanji sneered as he sat back down and poured himself another mugful. “Its some pretty lady you were too shy to talk to that you saw at a port somewhere we stopped at that you'll never see again, right? Someone unattainable like that makes them safe to be attracted to.”

 

“No...” Zoro mumbled, his face still red as he looked off to the side. “I...don't like girls...that way.”

 

“You....” Sanji stopped talking, his mug halfway to his mouth as he stared at the embarrassed swordsman. “You don't like them 'that way?' ”

 

Zoro winced at the statement, closing his good eye tight as Sanji took in his nakama's statement.

 

“Then...”

 

“I fucking like guys, okay? There! I said it!” Zoro hissed, glaring at the blond as he slammed his jar down, the bottom of the normally sturdy jar breaking and sending liquid all over the wood table. “Girls are nice, don't get me wrong. I...I couldn't protect the one that meant the most to me,” he said in a calmer voice as he pushed around a piece of glass with his finger. “I want to keep _all_ of them safe, especially our girls. Even the sea hag,” he admitted, referring to his name for Nami.

 

“Oi, watch it, shit swordsman!” Sanji said, coming to Nami's defense. Zoro snorted in reply, not in the mood to ruin his oncoming alcoholic buzz by fighting, instead going silent.

 

Sanji took a deep drink from his mug, his mind going over the new revelation from his nakama. Standing, he got a dishcloth and cleaned up the broken glass and alcohol, making sure to retrieve the piece of glass that Zoro had been playing with. He sat back down, poured himself another mugful and drained it just as fast as sudden realization hit him.

 

“Its me, isn't it?' he said half aloud. “You like _me_ , dontcha?” Sanji asked, staring at the other man in disbelief.

 

Zoro's head snapped up, his expression one of horror mixed with embarrassment. Taking in a deep breath, he blew it out and shrugged.

 

Sucking in a calming mouthful of smoke, Sanji blew it out, praying that his shaking hand wasn't too obvious.

 

“I...uh...Look here cook...” Zoro began. He looked as if he was torn between fainting and wanting to start a fight.

 

 _'At least a fight would be normal,'_ Sanji thought. “Its...a lot to take in,” he admitted, interrupting the swordsman. “I mean, I _never_ would have guessed that you were interested in sex, much less... _guys_.” He said, finishing his statement with another drag off of his cigarette. He held the smoke in for such a long time that Zoro began to think that the chef had forgotten to exhale. But then Sanji blew out a slow trail of smoke.

 

“Sooooo....” he began, letting the sentence die between them. Zoro fidgeted in his chair then opened a fourth jar and gulped it down.

 

“I'm going on watch,” he told Sanji in a gruff voice, picking up both the plate of snacks and a fifth jar before leaving the room.

 

Sanji watched the door shut behind the swordsman. Lost in thought, the chef absently sipped from his mug, the cigarette burnt down and then put itself out on the now well-chewed filter.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

The next day, Luffy's laughter was what woke Sanji up. Hung over from the previous night, he managed to get dressed and stumble into the kitchen just in time to hear “BREAKFAST! SANJI, IS BREAKFAST READY? I'M STARVING!”

 

“Shut up! I'm hung over!” the blond shouted back, immediately regretting it as his headache went from bad to worse. He turned on the stove and began cooking breakfast for the crew, cracking eggs for scrambled eggs. Momentarily closing his eyes as he worked, Sanji thought over what Zoro had revealed the night before. Chalking it up to a bad dream he began pouring the eggs into frying pans. His thoughts were interrupted when Zoro slammed opened the door and walked in.

 

“I'd appreciate it if you kept last night's conversation to yourself,” the swordsman said in a low voice. He grabbed a banana and was gone.

 

Sanji barely had time to nod when Luffy bounced through the door, followed by most of the crew.

 

Out on the deck, Chopper stopped and turned when Zoro passed him by.

 

“Zoro? Not eating breakfast with us?” the little reindeer asked.

 

“No. I'm going to go take a bath,” Zoro replied, peeling the banana and taking a huge bite.

 

Chopper watched the green-haired man walk away.

 

Despite his time with his crew, it still surprised him that the rest of his nakama couldn't detect the different scents that abounded on the ship.

 

Lost in thought, the little animal entered the dining room, just in time to see Sanji kick Luffy in the head for grabbing a handful of bacon from the plate the chef was trying to put on the table.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Drying off after his bath, Zoro felt more relaxed than he had in the last six months. Not being able to touch himself except to wash had been torture, but it had been worth it in the end. The orgasm he had just experienced was the most intense one he had ever felt. Panting, he washed himself a second time as he enjoyed the afterglow. Rinsing off, his skin tingled as the water hit him. Satiated for the moment, he dried himself off.

 

As he put on his clothes, he heard sounds indicating that the rest of the crew was finishing their breakfast. Picking up his swords, he made his way to the deck for a nap. Going over to the mast, he yawned and stretched before settling down on the lawn.

 

“Hey mister! Your order is here!” he heard a young voice shout. Grumbling as he got up, Zoro headed over to the railings and peered onto the shore, where he spotted a boy of about fifteen standing next to a pull-cart laden with boxes.  
  
“A beautiful lady with red hair ordered more of my Dad's Blood of the Gods!” he shouted up to him.  
  
“Good, my order is here!” Nami said, appearing at Zoro's side. Flicking her hair out of her face, she pointed to the gangplank as Zoro stared open-mouthed.

 

“There must be at least six boxes!” he exclaimed, drooling.

 

“Ten,” Nami corrected. “And I'll sell some to you for only twice the price.... _if_ you help me with the boxes. Over here, Yuudai!” she said, going to meet the boy as Zoro fumed at the navigator's back, then followed slowly behind her. Meeting up with the pair, the flirting boy didn't notice the swordsman until Zoro went to stand next to Nami.

 

“I...I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a boyfriend!” Yuudai croaked, falling over backwards. Sitting in the dusty road, he looked guiltily up at Zoro.

 

“I don't. Roronoa Zoro is my nakama,” she corrected, smiling as the green-haired man glowered at the boy. Ignoring him further, Zoro easily picked up all ten of the boxes. Looking at the red-head, he frowned.

 

“Where do you want these?” he asked as Nami smiled up at him.  
  
“In the kitchen on the table. Sanji will take care of them from there,” she replied lightly.

 

“I'll take them as far as the kitchen door. The shit cook can handle it from there,” he said gruffly as he headed back towards the ship. Nami fumed for a moment before turning back to the teen.

 

“Make sure that you thank Gotoh again for me, and the next time we're in this area, I'll be sure to buy more from him,” she said, smiling at the boy. Nodding as he sat in the dusty road, the teen watched the pair walk away.

 

Catching up with Zoro, Nami followed him to the kitchen, where he stopped. Placing the boxes outside of the door, he looked down at her.

 

“This is as far as I go,” he told her before turning to go.

 

 _'_ _'Well, that was weird_ _,'_ she thought to herself as she watched Zoro walk away.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

After the night of the party, the crew noticed a change in the relationship between the chef and the swordsman. They used to seemingly go out of their way to yell at each other, disagreeing at every turn. Now, whenever they were in the same room with each other, one of them would find an excuse to leave.

 

Sanji would often be found in the kitchen, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual was that he was usually sitting at the table, chain smoking and lost in thought.

 

Zoro began to eat and sleep in the crows' nest instead of the men's quarters, volunteering to take watch every night, to which the others willingly agreed...behind Luffy's back. The first few times the chef delivered meals to Zoro, he came back in a bad mood. Brook took it upon himself to bring the green-haired man his meals and drinks. Happy to have someone else take Zoro his meals, Sanji eagerly allowed the skeleton to take over the duty. As a “thank you,” Sanji would often give him the same treats he gave to Robin and Nami, albeit smaller portions.

 

Usually Zoro would be exercising when mealtime came around, but a few times Brook caught him sitting and gazing thoughtfully out the window, Wado Ichimonji sitting across his lap. After the second time Zoro nearly took his head off, the skeleton man made it a point to hum to himself as a way to announce his presence whenever he found the younger man in his own world. Placing the meal trays on the floor near Zoro, Brook would sit near him and not speak as Zoro ate, hoping that his mere presence would help out in some way.

 

He knew that the younger man would eventually want to talk about what was troubling him. And he had years of being alone to have learned patience.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Hold the ladder still Usopp!” Nami yelled down to the curly-haired sniper, steadying herself on the ladder.

 

“I could, if you stopped moving on it!” Usopp yelled back, using his hands to steady the ladder against the tangerine tree.  
  
“If I did that, how would I reach the fruit, dumbass?” she replied, glaring down at him before once again trying to reach for the perfect ripe tangerine she had tried for previously. The ladder wobbled as Usopp shifted his weight, causing Nami to fall hard against the rungs.

 

“If I fall and break my neck, I'll make sure that you get charged ten times my funeral costs!” she threatened.

 

“These tangerine crepes had better be worth this trouble!” Usopp muttered to himself as Nami picked the tangerine and a few more, filling the basket on her back.

 

“Okay, I'm done!” she called out, rousing Usopp from his grumbling and causing him to hold that ladder still once again.

 

“There! This should be enough for everyone...but Luffy of course,” she added, smiling. Looking at Usopp's expression, her smile turned into a look of puzzlement.

 

“Do you think that Sanji and Zoro hate each other now?” he asked her, turning to look at the redhead. “I mean, they _are_ still nakama, right?”

 

“Of course they are!” she replied. “They must have...had some kind of argument...right?” she said, staring at the curly-haired man, who looked as lost as the navigator felt at that moment.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Enjoying the warm summer day, Franky worked on his latest mechanical device while Chopper and Robin sat nearby in lawn chairs, reading.

 

Looking up from his medical tome, Chopper watched Franky reach into the parts box near him and attach a yet another gear to the frame he was working on. Sitting back, the giant cyborg sighed and stared at the frame.

 

“I think that Sanji and Zoro had a bad fight and are staying away from each other until they figure out what to do about it,” Franky said to no one in particular, his mouth turned down into an uncharacteristic frown.

 

“I thought this was just another fight at first. Why are they avoiding each other this time?” Chopper asked innocently as he put down his book.

 

“Maybe I can make something to help them get back together as friends like before,” Franky said, a wicked glint shining in his eyes.

 

Robin looked up from her book and frowned at the pair.

 

“Like some kind of robot?” Chopper replied. “...but what kind of robot would help two angry men become friends again?”

 

“Maybe something with blades...LOTS of blades. They both like things with blades, right?” he asked, turning to smile at Chopper, the wicked glint becoming larger.

 

“But...but...Sanji and Zoro hate each other! How will giving them more blades help?”” Chopper asked.

 

“By making it a SUUUPPPEEERRRR friendship robot!” Franky said, posing. “I could start with....” Franky began.

 

“I am sure that Sanji and Zoro will figure out what the solution is to their problem and rectify it...without our interference,” Robin said in a firm tone that ended the conversation. Franky looked helplessly at the little reindeer, who returned the expression.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Brook climbed to the crows' nest, the tray carefully balanced as he brought dinner to Zoro one evening. Once again, he found the younger swordsman gazing out the window, Wado balanced across his crossed legs. Placing the tray next to Zoro, he sat down on the floor and made himself comfortable. Relaxing as best as he could, he crossed his legs as he waited for Zoro to begin his evening meal. The sounds of the wind and the Thousand Sunny's normal sounds could be heard from their vantage point, interrupted by the occasional shout from a member of the crew the wind made its way up to them. Enjoying the quiet, he didn't see Zoro's eyes glance down at the katana in his lap.

 

“Do you think that its okay to love someone and not tell them how you feel?” the green-haired man asked in a quiet voice.

 

“If you decide to never tell them, how will they have the chance to return those feelings?” Brook replied.

 

“But if they find out, it changes everything.” Zoro explained. “Even if you never intend for the other person to find out. It can makes things....difficult.”

 

“That can be true, but you also have to realize that you're being unfair,” Brook countered.

 

His dark eyes confused, Zoro turned to look directly at Brook. “How is not saying anything being unfair?”

 

“Because you're not giving them the chance to say how they feel about the news that they're loved. Its wonderful to be loved by someone, even if they may not return the feelings. But, if they never find out, how can you know that they don't feel the same way?” the musician pointed out.

 

“I know how he feels!” Zoro snapped.

 

“But avoiding the person doesn't make the feelings go away. It only makes you feel bad for not seeing them, and they feel bad for making you stay away,” Brook said gently.

 

Zoro said nothing, simply nodded once as he continued to gaze out the window. Brook quietly left the crows nest, leaving the swordsman to think about their conversation.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

_I fucking like guys, okay? There! I said it!_

 

 _No, he didn't just say it._ _H_ _e said it like it was something he was_ truly _embarrassed about,_ Sanji thought to himself as he put away a freshly-washed cup. Realization hit him and he gasped. Rapidly leaning forward, his forehead struck the cabinet with an audible “thunk.”

 

 _Was that the first time he_ _admitted it to anyone?_ _I think it was!_

 

Before that night, Sanji would have bet his right hand that the green-haired man was asexual. He was convinced that Zoro's first priority was to become the world's greatest swordsman, followed by helping the rest of the crew reach their dreams. Zoro's confession changed that.

 

 _'Its me, isn't it?'_ Sanji's own words echoed in his head. _'You like me, dontcha?'_

 

Having known that some of the cooks back on Baratie were not only in physical relationships but emotional ones as well, the idea of being with another man wasn't a foreign one to the cook. It just wasn't something he had considered for himself. But knowing that _Roronoa Zoro_ , his _nakama_ , felt that way....

 

 _I...must have figured out his deepest secret,'_ Sanji realized. Thinking back on it, he felt a twinge of pity for the swordsman. _He looked as if he had seen a ghost when I asked him if it was me.'_

 

 _'I don't know_ how _I feel about another_ man _feeling that way about me, much less it being_ _the_ shitty Marimo!' he admitted to himself.

 

It occurred to him that he didn't know Zoro as well as he thought he did. In fact, he really didn't know the man at all.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Zoro stared out of the crow's nest window, lost in thought. Brook had just departed yet again, his untouched breakfast tray now cold. Resting his hands on Wado Ichimonji as it lay across his lap, he mentally berated himself. Something he had been doing ever since the conversation that fateful night.

 

_What should I do now?_

 

 _He knows,_ Zoro thought to himself. _Fucking shithead cook figured it out._ _How could I have been so stupid, so careless?_

 

Berating himself for telling the blond enough for him to figure out how he truly felt, Zoro sighed.

 

_How strong was that shit I drank that I would tell the cook that I liked guys? That I...like him? Should I pretend like nothing happened? Should I keep ignoring him? Should I ask him out? Should I tell him to forget what happened that night?_

 

_What do I do now?_

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“LUNCH!” Sanji called out to the crew.

 

Luffy and Usopp, attempting to come through the door together, only ended up jamming the doorway before falling into the kitchen to land in a heap. Everyone else stepped over the pair as they filed in.

 

“Calm down shitheads before you hurt one of the ladies!” the cook grouched at the pair.

 

“If I don't get to the table fast, Luffy's gonna eat my share!” Usopp whined as he took his seat and began piling food on a plate.

 

Ignoring everything but the laden table in front of him, the rubber man bounced into his seat and began grabbing food, his Gomu Gomu no Mi powers making it easy to reach everything.  
  
“See what I mean? OI! Hands off my plate Luffy!” the sniper yelled, guarding his food with one hand and slapping at Luffy's grabby hand with the other.

 

“I made plenty. The sea king you guys caught earlier today really helped,” Sanji explained around the cigarette in his mouth. Blowing out a cloud of smoke, he watched his crew mates for a bit before returning to the meal tray he was finishing. Placing a glass of tangerine juice down, Sanji didn't notice Luffy watching him carefully, the piece of meat in the younger teen's hand temporarily forgotten. Everyone took the lull in their captain's grabbing to eat as much as they could before he started up again.

 

“Sanji, why don't you just go and talk to Zoro? He likes you, right?” the Strawhat captain remarked casually.

 

The simultaneous reactions of nearly everyone in the room sounded like a scene from a Z-grade romantic comedy movie.

 

“WHAAAAT!” shrieked Usopp before he fell out of his seat.

 

“Not in front of the ladies, you bastard!” growled Sanji, followed by the sound of a shoe hitting a rubber face.

 

“OW! I shoulda seen that coming!” crowed Franky, grinning.

 

“I knew,” Robin remarked, smiling knowledgeably.

 

“How sexy, Sanji-kun!” cried Nami, giggling.

.

“Yohoho! I should write a song for the two lovers! ” Brook shouted.

 

“Can two men fall in love like that?” yelled Chopper.

 

Turning to look at the little doctor, Luffy grinned, not noticing Sanji fuming at him.

 

“Sure it is! Zoro likes Sanji a lot, that's why they fight so much. Why else would they fight?” Luffy said, looking at Chopper like a parent explaining something to a small child.

 

“M...maybe because they disagree?” Chopper asked.

 

“No. Zoro likes Sanji a lot. Has for a long time,” Luffy explained to the reindeer.

 

“How do you know, Luffy? Did he tell you?” Usopp asked.

 

“You guys really didn't know? How blind are you?” Luffy said, laughing.

 

“Well, _I_ certainly had no idea!” Nami huffed, crossing her arms and looking offended at her captain.

 

Luffy chewed absently on the meat in his hand for a moment before swallowing. “It wouldn't hurt, right Sanji? Its just talk. It might make both of you feel better.”

 

“NO! Absolutely not!” Sanji cried out his face beet red. “Why would I waste my time talking to that thick-skulled grass-brain about it? Besides, I prefer ladies!” he added, leaning over to schmooze with Nami.

 

“I think it would be _nice_ if you went to talk to Zoro,” Nami suggested as she winked at Sanji, causing him to nearly swoon.

 

“I think it would be a mistake,” Usopp countered, earning a quick glare from the redhead before she went back to smiling at Sanji.

 

“It would be nice to have Swordsman-san back at the table with us,” Robin said, smiling sweetly at Sanji. “He must be really lonely sitting up there all by himself for so long.”

 

Sanji stopped smiling and looked back and forth to the two ladies before sighing and hanging his head.

 

“Only because I wish to please my two ladies,” he said, resigned. “But that doesn't mean we're going to do anything else. Just talk.”

 

“EEEE! That's so sweet of you Sanji-kun! I bet Zoro _is_ really lonely!” Nami said, clapping her hands together and blinking rapidly at Sanji as she beamed at the cook. Robin smiled at the blond as well.

 

“I just hope that he doesn't throw himself into the sea waiting for you to go talk to him, Cook-san,” Robin mused.

 

“Don't say such morbid things!” Usopp said, wincing.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Zoro recognized the footsteps approaching him and sighed as he stared out the window before he carefully placed Wado Ichimonji on the floor,

 

“You missed lunch today,” Sanji grumbled as he made his way into the room. He walked over to stand near, but not too close to the swordsman before he put down the tray he had been carrying one-handed, “You didn't touch breakfast this morning either. Are you dieting? I didn't know plants needed to lose weight,” he quipped.

 

Zoro said nothing as he ignored the blond, choosing to continue staring out the window instead.

 

“Plants need sunlight. You're facing the wrong direction to be basking in the sun, Marimo,” Sanji teased, smirking.

 

“You brought up lunch, you can leave now,” Zoro said, not looking at the cook.

 

“You know, if you don't eat, Luffy gets it. At the rate you're not eating, he's going to gain some serious weight,” Sanji explained, blowing out a cloud of cigarette smoke.

 

“The food's not going to waste if he eats it,” the swordsman pointed out.

 

The blond chomped on his cigarette's filteras he glared at Zoro.

 

“The point I'm trying to make is that _you_ are supposed to eat the food, not Luffy!” he growled.

 

“But if you make it and I'm not hungry, if no one eats it, its wasted,” Zoro replied.

 

Sanji opened his mouth to reply just as Zoro calmly asked, “Is that why you're here, cook? To complain about me not eating?”

 

The fact that the swordsman was so calm surprised Sanji, who stood with his mouth hanging open before he remembered to shut it.

 

“I came up here...to...to...uh...” he stopped speaking and turned to look out the window.

 

A seagull flew by, its white feathers gleaming in the sunlight. Sanji turned back to stare at the green-haired swordsman.

 

“I came up here to find out if what I guessed the other night was true,” the blond finished in a low voice.

 

“Its true,” Zoro answered. turning to look at the cook for the first time in many days. His one good eye was steady as he locked eyes with Sanji momentarily before looking away.

 

“I have... _feelings_...for you, Sanji,” Zoro admitted, blushing deep red despite his tanned skin.

 

“”' _Feelings,”_ Sanji repeated. “...What kind of... _feelings_?”

 

“Are you really gonna make me say it, ero-cook?” Zoro roared, his blush now extending down his neck.

 

“Of course I am, shit swordsman! It could be hate for all I know!” the blond yelled back.

 

“Its not hate,” Zoro murmured, his anger suddenly gone.

 

The two men stood and gazed at each other, Sanji wearing a shocked expression, and Zoro one of resignation.

 

“Since...since when?” Sanji finally managed to stammer out.

 

“Idunno. For a long time,” the swordsman confessed, shrugging.

 

“A...a long time. And you're just now telling me this shit?” Sanji yelled

 

“I hadda figure 'this shit' out, didn't I? I've never experienced it before, and I didn't know what it was!” Zoro yelled back.

 

“Oh,” Sanji said, caught off guard.

 

“Its...difficult. All this. I don't know what to do. Now that you know, I mean,” Zoro explained, looking at everything but Sanji as he spoke. “I mean, You don't return the feelings, so why should it matter what I feel?

 

His mind racing for an answer, Sanji inhaled deeply and exhaled a steady stream of smoke to cover his anxiety as Zoro continued.

 

“It was...difficult being away for two years. I got used to you being by my side, and when you weren't....”

 

“...you lost your eye,” Sanji finished aloud more to himself, causing Zoro to blush and nod once.

 

“But then I remembered that you fight with only one eye showing, and I figured that if a shit cook like you can do it, so can I,” Zoro said, smirking.

 

“OI!” Sanji replied, giving Zoro a genuine smile. Zoro's smirk fell away as he blushed a deeper red and turned away from the blond.

 

“Don't do that. It...makes me feel weird,” Zoro said.

 

“What? Smile?” Sanji asked, frowning. “I'm not going to stop smiling just because it makes your plant heart go “pitter-patter,” stupid swordsman!”

 

“...I know. I just...can't look at you when you do that. Not..yet, anyway.” Zoro replied, turning to look once again at the blond.

 

Shaking his head as he pulled out his pack and took out a cigarette, Sanji lit it, placing the now-dead butt of the previous one in his pocket for later disposal.

 

“Okay. But just to let you know, I'm seme,” Sanji told the swordsman putting the pack away.

 

“You want to fight? Now?” Zoro asked, confused.

 

Sanji facepalmed.

 

“No! It means I'm the man. The one who is in control. That means _you're_ the woman.”

 

“WHAT?” Zoro exclaimed, balling his fists. “I may love another guy, but that doesn't mean I wear dresses!”

 

Sanji facepalmed again.

 

“It means you'll be the one being fucked, idiot! I stick my dick in...”

 

“WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!” Who said anything about sex?” Zoro shouted.

 

“That's what I've been talking about just now! Sex!” Sanji shouted. “If we're going to be together, it'll eventually come down to fucking, and when we do, I'll be the one doing the fucking!”

 

“Can we at least have _one_ date before we have...before we do....” Zoro asked, blushing as he frowned.

 

“Sure, if that's what you want,” Sanji replied, shrugging.

 

“I'd like to...see what happens next. With us, I mean,” Zoro said. “I mean, this is all new to me. I want to...enjoy it.”

 

“You've never dated anyone before?” Sanji asked, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

 

“No. I've been focused on my dream.”

 

“So you're a...virgin?” Sanji asked in a small voice.

 

Redfaced again, Zoro turned away and nodded once.

 

“Then I had better make sure that your first time is special,” Sanji replied, causing Zoro to look at him.

 

“That's...not a problem for you?” the swordsman asked.

 

“No. But I want you to feel good when we finally do fuck,” Sanji explained, smiling at Zoro, who blushed again.

 

“Just one question,” Zoro asked, to which Sanji nodded for him to continue.

 

“How _exactly_ do two guys fuck?”


	2. Are Things Back to (Relative) Normal?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The more things change, the more they stay the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that send Kudos and comments, it means the world to me to know that people _are actually reading this!_ <3 I have no idea where this story is going, but its fun finding out, ne? (^_^) 
> 
> Once again, I thank my beta, Eiri. You made this shitty mishmash actually make sense to people other than myself.

“Its good to have you back, Swordsman-san,” Robin said the next morning as Zoro sat down for breakfast. He grunted his thanks to the archeologist, who smiled at him in return.

 

“Of _course_ he's back, my lovely Robin-chwan! Even a moss-head like him can't stay away from my wonderful cooking!” Sanji replied. He danced over and put down a full plate in front of her. “For you, my sweet!” he purred, beaming.

 

“Do you think its fair that you flirt with Robin when you're dating Zoro?” Chopper asked as he sat down. Sanji raised an eyebrow at the question.

 

“We're not dating,” he stated flatly as Usopp came in, followed closely by Luffy and the rest of the crew..

 

“Yet,” Zoro added.

 

“So, you two _are_ dating?”Usopp asked, sitting down.

 

Zoro shrugged and looked at Sanji. “I think so,” the green-haired man murmured, his cheeks red. His back to the table, Sanji's ears also turned red as he made another plate.

 

Luffy clapped his hands. “Good! I hate seeing my nakama sad!” he crowed.

 

Sitting down, Nami squealed in delight. “Sanji-kun, I'm so happy for you and Zoro!”

 

Sanji's shoulders hunched as he finished her plate. Bringing it over, he let the embarrassed feeling fall from him as he squared his shoulders.

 

“For you my dear,” he gushed, smiling down at her.

 

“I still think its wrong to flirt with others if you two are dating,” Chopper said, crossing his arms. “Humans are mostly monogamous, from what I've read.”

 

“Not according to my yaoi manga!” Nami quipped, giggling. Robin turned to smile wickedly at her, causing Usopp to shudder.

 

“Its not like Sanji's gonna stop flirting with the girls overnight,” Usopp remarked. “Its pretty much ingrained in his personality.”

 

“I wouldn't worry about it too much, Zoro-bro. Our ladies have Sanji trained, that's all!” Franky quipped, clapping his massive hand on the swordsman's shoulder.

 

“I think its nice that Zoro finally gets to be with the one he loves,” Brook said, picking up his teacup. Everyone but Zoro turned to look at the skeleton. The swordsman blushed more as a plate was placed in front of him.

 

“I think this calls for a toast! Love among the Mugiwara!” Luffy shouted. Everyone but Zoro and Sanji raised a glass and noisily toasted the pair. The swordsman hung his head, his blush now extending down to his chest while Sanji stood at the serving table, facing away from everyone.

 

It was all too much.

 

“STOP IT, ALL OF YOU!” Sanji shouted, turning to face everyone, his fists balled.

 

“I am NOT cheating on anyone, we are NOT dating, and I'm NOT in love with ANYONE!” he said before storming towards the door, kicking it open and exiting the kitchen. Kicking it shut, the others could only stare after the pissed-off blond. Only Zoro sat quietly, his formerly red face now pale despite his tan as he stood up from his seat.

 

“Where are you going Zoro?” Chopper asked, concerned.

 

“Back to bed. Maybe if I start this day over, it'll be better the second time around,” Zoro answered as he walked out of the galley. Glad to not see the blond as he left, he headed up to the crow's nest. Pulling out his stashed futon roll, he unrolled it, then laid on his back, placing his hands under his head. Staring up at the ceiling, he sighed.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“That didn't go off too well, did it?” Brook said, breaking the silence left by the departure of the two men.

 

“I still can't believe that Zoro is in love...with _Sanji_ ,” Usopp said, taking Zoro's untouched plate. “I thought Zoro would be the one person that wouldn't ever need anyone romantically, much less _Sanji!_ ”

 

“And why not?” Nami said, frowning. “Everyone's entitled to love someone, even if the person they love is an idiot!”

 

“That's true, Navigator-san. Everyone's allowed to find happiness with someone, however likely they are to beat each other bloody first,” Robin added.

 

“Morbid, Robin,” Usopp said, frowning.

 

“Well, I think those two finally getting together is SUPER romantic,” Franky said thickly, rubbing at the tears in his eyes. “But I think we just helped them break up!”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Leaning against the Thousand Sunny's railing, Sanji flicked off the ash from his cigarette into the ocean, his mind in turmoil.

 

 _Why did I agree to date the Marimo?_ _I've never been with another man before,_ he thought to himself. Bringing the cigarette up to his lips, he inhaled then exhaled.

 

 _The real question is, d_ _o I_ really _want to_ _be_ _with Zoro?_ _I'm not_ _opposed_ _to it..._ _not really. He_ is _really cute when he blushes...NO, stop that!_

 

Sanji shook his head hard before going back to puzzle out his feelings.

 

 _T_ _he crew_ _is_ _giving me such a hard time..._ _but do I really care?_ He inhaled a lungful of smoke and sighed.

 

 _Do I really_ want _to be with_ _Zoro?_

 

 _*_ _~*~*~*~*_

 

Unable to sleep, Zoro laid on the futon and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

 

_He hates me._

 

_He hates the idea of being with me._

 

_I poured out my heart to him, and now he hates me._

 

_I shoulda kept my drunk fucking mouth shut!_

 

_Fuck._

 

_FUCK!_

 

_Now what?_

 

_*~*~*~*~*_

 

Humming, Brook carried the nearly overflowing lunch tray up to the crow's nest. Seeing Zoro lying on the futon, he placed the tray next to him and sat down.

 

“Zoro-san, Luffy said to eat every bite, captain's orders,” he told the swordsman. “He loaded the tray himself, surprisingly enough.”

 

Zoro sat up and glared at the food before he slowly began to eat.

 

“Keep skipping meals and you'll end up looking like me! Yohohoho! Skull joke!” the musician quipped, laughing at his own joke.

 

Zoro nearly smiled at it, putting a pancake covered in candy into his mouth and chewing before making a face.

 

Continuing to hum, Brook waited for Zoro to eat nearly everything before speaking.

 

“Don't let what the others say or think defer you in your quest for love, Zoro-san. Love is such a wonderful thing, it would truly be a shame to miss out on it. Especially if this is your first love.”

 

The green-haired man listened, looking up from his meal when “first love” was mentioned.

 

“This...is your first love, isn't it?” Brook asked softly. Zoro nodded once, a light blush on his cheeks.

 

“Then, pursue it. Don't let this chance slip away, its too precious to just let it go without fighting for it!”

 

“You really think so?” Zoro asked, blushing a bit darker.

 

“Most certainly, Zoro-san. If there was more love in this world and less fighting, maybe it would be a happier place to be.”

 

“...less fighting,” the swordsman repeated, frowning.

 

“Don't worry, Zoro-san. I'm sure that there will always be a need for those of us that use a sword to protect our loved ones,” the skeleton replied. Standing, he bowed slightly towards the younger man.

 

“Enjoy being in love, Zoro-san. Its the best feeling in the world, and definitely worth fighting for,” he said, taking his leave.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Chopper walked over to Sanji and hopped up on the railing next to him.

 

“I think I don't understand humans as much as I thought I did,” he began. “There are things I don't understand about you and Zoro.”

 

“Yeah? Like what?' Sanji blew out a cloud of smoke as he waited for the reindeer to continue.

 

“I thought that only a male and a female could fall in love, yet Zoro loves you. How?” Chopper asked.

 

“The human heart is a complicated thing, Chopper. Even we don't understand its complexities.” the blond answered. “You find someone that's compatible with you in nearly every way, and who seems to understand you for the most part, and it just kind of...happens. Of course, because you're two different people, you may still fight every now and then, but it can work out if both parties love each other enough.”

 

“So that's what happened with Zoro? He finds you compatible and he seems to understand you?” Chopper surmised.  
  
“I suppose so,” Sanji said, flipping his spent filter into the ocean.

 

“Okay. I think I understand now,” Chopper said, nodding as hopped down and turned to leave. “Then I suppose its okay if you two are together, since you have no chance with the girls.”

 

“OI!” Sanji yelped as he watched the little doctor walk away. Turning back to the railing, he reached for his cigarette pack and took one out before replacing the pack. Halfway to putting the cigarette in his mouth, Chopper's words came back to him.

 

_He finds you compatible and he seems to understand you?_

 

Absently, Sanji placed the cigarette in his mouth, no longer seeing the blue ocean.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Marimo, I'm coming up!” Sanji cried out as he made his way to the crow's nest.  
  
“I can hear your footsteps you know! I'm not deaf!” the swordsman yelled back.

 

Sanji came into the room and stood near the door, frowning slightly. Zoro sat up on his elbows on the futon, turning to look at the chef.  
  
“Whaddayawant?” the green-haired man asked grouchily. “You woke me from a good nap.”

 

“Let's give it a try. For real, I mean,” Sanji said, gazing coolly at the swordsman.

 

Zoro jawdropped, then closed his mouth and tilted his head.

 

“...and what brought on this change?” he asked, suspiciously.

 

“Because we're on a similar wavelength. At least for the most part.” Sanji replied, sticking his hands in his pockets and shrugging.

 

“Wha...?” Zoro asked, confused.

 

“Look. We have things in common. We both like to fight, we're both strong-willed,” the cook began.

 

“You're stubborn, I'm strong-willed,” Zoro murmured.

 

Ignoring Zoro, Sanji continued. “We're both determined, and we both think we're right whenever we talk about something, even if I'm the one that ever _actually_ correct.”

 

“OI!” Zoro exclaimed, frowning.

 

Sanji's expression changed from cool to sultry, causing Zoro to pale and swallow nervously.

 

The blond walked over to where Zoro was reclining, causing the swordsman to skitter backwards on his futon.

 

“Wha...what are you doing, cook?” he asked, wide-eyed.

 

“I told you. We're giving it a try,” Sanji purred, his eyes half-closed. Squatting in front of Zoro, they stared at each other for a moment before the blond leaned in for a kiss.

 

Zoro's heart pounded in his chest as he froze, unsure of what to do. Leaning back, Sanji blinked.

 

“You were supposed to return the kiss, plant-brain.”

 

“I...I've never been kissed before! You surprised me!” Zoro replied, red-faced.

 

“Wow, you really are a virgin,” Sanji teased, smirking momentarily before leaning in for another kiss. Zoro puckered up like a five year old kissing his mom, causing Sanji to stop.

 

“Look, Marimo. I'm not your aunt. I'm your...” he stopped and gazed thoughtfully at the green-haired man.

 

“You're my what?” Zoro asked, still blushing.

 

“I guess I'm your boyfriend,” Sanji said, smiling. Zoro turned away, the blush making its way down his neck.

 

“I told you not to smile at me like that, cook,” Zoro said with no heat behind it.

 

“As your boyfriend, I reserve the right to smile at you any time I want!” Sanji told him before leaning in for another kiss.

 

Thinking that the best thing to do was to copy the blond, Zoro did exactly that. When Sanji opened his mouth and swept his tongue along Zoro's lips, Zoro returned the gesture, causing Sanji to breathe out a small moan. Closing his eyes, Sanji moved to sit down next to Zoro, not breaking the kiss. Sucking the swordsman's lower lip into his mouth, he nibbled lightly on it. Not able to repeat the move, Zoro did what he thought he should do. He opened his mouth.

 

That was what Sanji had been waiting for.

 

Licking along Zoro's teeth, he lapped at the other man's tongue, then sucked on it, eliciting a breathy moan from Zoro. Blushing as he felt his nether regions begin to respond, Zoro put his hands on Sanji's chest and slowly pushed him away.

 

“What did you do that for, shit moss-head?” Sanji asked, miffed.

 

“I couldn't breathe,” Zoro answered, frowning as he blushed.

 

“Breathe through your nose,” Sanji said, his own face flushed as he looked into Zoro's eyes.  
  
“This...is happening a bit fast,” Zoro said, looking down and away.

“So...do you want me to slow down?” Sanji asked.

 

“Maybe just a bit,” Zoro replied. “I just had my first kiss and now you're sucking on my tongue. What kinda kiss was that anyway?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“A French kiss.”

 

“Oh. Figures,” the swordsman remarked.

 

“You open your mouth, and I take over from there and make you feel good,” Sanji explained. “But I'll stop if you want me to.”

 

“No...I liked it,” the green-haired man said, blushing as he shifted to hide his more physical reaction.

 

“Do you...want me to take care of that for you?” Sanji murmured, looking down at Zoro's groin before gazing into Zoro's dark eye, his own eyes once more half-closed.

 

“H...how?” Zoro asked, wide-eyed.

 

“Don't you worry Marimo, just trust me. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I left you in such a state?” Sanji purred, licking his lips.

 

“Can we just go back to kissing?” the green-haired man asked.

 

“Sure...if that's what you want,” Sanji replied. He placed an arm around the swordsman and pulled him close. Placing his forehead against Zoro's, he gazed into the swordsman's eye, his own eyes now a lust-darkened blue.

 

“Wha..what are you doing now?” Zoro asked nervously, his hands twitching.

 

“I never noticed how long your eyelashes are,” Sanji murmured before leaning in for another kiss.

 

Not exactly sure where to put his hands, Zoro clumsily placed his arms around the cook's waist as they tangled tongues. Breathing through his nose, he made sure to keep his eye open and watch what Sanji was doing. So busy watching the chef, he turned his head the wrong way and inadvertently clicked their teeth together.

 

“OW! That hurt!” Sanji cried, pulling away and holding his mouth. “Try to _not_ hit your teeth on mine, willya?”

 

“Sorry,” Zoro muttered. “This is all so...different...than what I expected.”

 

“What did you expect us to do? Jump right into bed? _You're_ the one that asked me to take it slow!” Sanji cried, still a bit upset.

 

The swordsman shrugged. “Idunno. I never thought it would even get this far.”

 

“Well it has, and if I have any say in the matter...which I do...it'll go a lot farther than this,” the blond purred, leaning once again towards Zoro, who leaned backwards.

 

“Uh...”he began. “This is all a bit much, cook. I like it and all but...up until a little bit ago, I thought you hated me.”

 

“Why would you think that?” Sanji asked, upset.

 

“The way you stormed out of the kitchen...and just in general,” Zoro admitted, sitting back up.

 

“...oh...” the blond replied. Sighing, he pulled out his cigarette pack. Zoro watched as he placed one in his mouth and lit it.

 

“Do you want one? Sanji asked, holding out the pack to Zoro.

 

“No. That's your thing. I just...” he began.

 

“What? Want me to quit smoking?” Sanji asked defensively.

 

“No. Its a part of who you are. I don't want you to do anything to change for my sake,” Zoro said, blushing as he gazed at Sanji.

 

“Good,” Sanji said, blowing out a cloud of smoke. “I'll quit when and _if_ I fucking well want to, if ever!”

 

Zoro shrugged. “That's fine with me.” Lying back on the futon, Zoro placed his hands behind his head and watched as the cook smoked.

 

“So...now what?” the swordsman asked.

 

“You wanted a date, right? We're heading towards an island. Nami-swan said it was an autumn island,” Sanji explained, exhaling. “I wanted to get some fruit to make desserts with. Wanna come with me?”

 

“Uh, sure. I'll help,” Zoro replied.

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Sanji said, smiling.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“They've been up there for a while. Do you think they're doing anything?” Nami asked, looking up towards the crow's nest and wishing she was a fly on the wall.

 

“Not anything that I want to see!” Usopp exclaimed, continuing to water the Pop Greens in his garden.

 

“I just hope they stop avoiding each other. Those two not fighting felt weird,” she said thoughtfully while she watered Robin's garden.

 

“I know! It was kind of unnatural.” Usopp replied. “It was kind of like the world was a little...duller.”

 

“Exactly!” Nami said, nodding. “But still, if they're up there kissing or...” she began.

 

“STOP!” the sniper said, sticking his fingers in his ears. “I _really_ don't want to hear any more!”

 

Nami laughed at the long-nosed pirate as she continued watering.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Chopper put down the medical tome he was reading and sniffed at the air, then looked thoughtfully up at the library ceiling towards the crow's nest before picking the book back up and losing himself in his studying once more.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Do you think that they'll still fight if they're gonna date?” Luffy asked to no one in particular, swinging his legs as he sat on the railing next to the helm.

 

“Their fights will definitely get more interesting, that's for sure!” Franky answered. He turned the wheel slightly to the right to adjust for the shift in the wind. “I'll just be glad to have all of my nakama back down for meals.”

 

“Yeah,” Luffy said absently. Pushing his signature hat back a little from his forehead, he looked over at the cyborg.

 

“What do two guys do on dates anyway? What does _anyone_ do on a date?” he asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

 

“Uh...”Franky began just as Robin walked sedately over to the pair.  
  
“Captain-san, you can see the island if you look over there,” she said, pointing to a line on the horizon.

 

“YAY! Island! Island adventure!” the rubber man cheered as he stretched his hands towards the Sunny's mane. Catching the middle piece of the mane, Luffy shot his body to the masthead to take his usual seat on the lion head. Cheering again, he scratched his butt before settling down to watch their approach.

 

“I owe you one, Robin,” the cyborg said, looking relieved as he steered the Sunny towards the island.

 

“I'm sure I'll be able to think of a way to collect,” she replied, her lips forming a knowing smile. She too watched the island grow larger as they approached, her arms crossed as the wind blew her hair back from her face.

 

Brook came up from below deck, his guitar in his hands.

 

“We need island approach music!” he said as he took a seat on the grass deck and crossed his long legs. Strumming the guitar's strings a few times, he began to play a lively tune.

 

“We must be getting close to the island,” Zoro remarked as he yawned and stood up from the futon. “I heard Luffy's whoop.”  
  
“Good! I hope this island has a market with a nice fruit stand. I feel like making baked apples for dessert,” Sanji said. Turning to the green-haired man, he smiled impishly. “Did you have a nice nap?”

 

“Yeah, I slept good,” Zoro replied, blushing slightly. “But I still don't see why I had to lay my head in your lap.”

 

“Its one of the many things that couples do,” Sanji replied as he took out a cigarette and lit it. “It shows trust when someone can fall asleep on the other person's lap. It means they trust you to not hurt them or disturb them while they sleep.”

 

“Oh,” Zoro said, turning to look at Sanji for a moment before looking out the window. “I trust you with my life. So why did I still have to do it?”

 

Sanji fumed and bit down on the filter of his cigarette. “Maybe I wanted to get a close-up view of your ugly face, moron-moss-ball!”  
  
“Oi shit cook! I just asked a simple question! You didn't have to turn into an ass to answer it!” Zoro replied, grabbing his three katana before storming over to the exit to climb down the ladder.

 

“It was a question _from_ an ass!” the blond replied, glaring at Zoro until the swordsman's green hair disappeared from sight. Stomping his feet with every step, he followed Zoro down, trading shouted insults with him as they descended.

 

“Sounds like things are back to normal,” Usopp said, emerging from the men's quarters. He yawned and scratched his chest as he headed up the stairs to the helm.

 

“Aaahhh...normalcy! Zoro and Sanji arguing is music to my ears! Nami cried, stretching as she opened the door to the library to watch the two men climb down from the crow's nest.

 

“I'm glad to hear them back to their old selves,” Chopper said, agreeing. He came from behind the red-head to stand by her legs and watch the two men descend.

“Curly-bro and Zoro's arguing sound SUPER happy, doesn't it?” Franky remarked to Robin, grinning at the dark-haired archeologist.

 

“I'm just glad they haven't killed each other. The blood would have dripped all over us,” Robin said.

 

“Morbid again Robin!” Usopp said as he walked over to stand near the pair.

 

“Ah, the young lovers return to the rest of us, their hearts full of love and insults,” Brook greeted the pair. “Of course,” he continued, his fingers still flying on the strings. “I don't have a heart! Skull joke! Yohoho!”

 

“I take it you two made up...or something?” the musician asked, noticing that Sanji stood closer to Zoro than he normally would. Lighting a cigarette, the blond nodded as Zoro adjusted the three katana at his side.

 

“Something like that,” Zoro replied, blushing slightly.

 

“If I didn't, the Marimo would end up living in the crow's nest, and I'd have to share it with him when its my turn for watch,” Sanji added. Blowing out a stream of smoke, he looked sideways at Zoro.

 

“Besides, I like to make him blush,” he said, smirking.

 

Which promptly caused Zoro to blush even darker red. “Shut up Cook,” the green-haired man mumbled and walked away. Heading towards the lion-shaped figurehead, he stopped at the railing to watch their approach to the island.

 

“GOOD! You two made up, and just in time!” Luffy remarked, turning to look at Zoro.

 

“We weren't fighting. We just had a lot of...figuring...to do, nothing more.” Zoro explained.

 

Luffy looked blankly at Zoro. And then grinned brightly. “So you two made up! I'm glad!”

 

Zoro sighed and shook his head.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“When will we be finished with this? I wanna stop and get something to eat!” Zoro grumped. He shifted the packages and bags in his arms while Sanji haggled over yet another bag of fruit.

 

“C'mon, these apples have spots! They aren't worth more than half of what you're charging!” Sanji yelled at the vender, who yelled back a slightly lower price.

 

Zoro sighed as he sat down on the ground under the vender's tent, the cooler shade sheltering the green-haired man from the sunny day. Making sure that the bags he was carry wouldn't tip, he yawned and closed his eyes.

 

“Come on Marimo, we're finished here,” he heard Sanji say as the blond hung a bag of apples on his free arm. Paying the merchant, he nodded towards a prepared food stand where a line of people waited to order.

 

“Why do I have to carry the apples as well as nearly everything else? You only have a small bag!” Zoro cried.  
  
“I _happen_ to be carrying a bag of spices in fragile glass jars, moss-head. If they break, your food will be plain and boring, and I doubt that Nami-swan will be willing to give me any more beli to buy expensive spices a second time.”

 

“You did okay carrying that box of moonshine a bit ago, and it was way larger,” Zoro murmured. The cook missed the comment, having stopped to look at cabbages in yet another stall.

 

“Cook. If I don't eat something soon, I'm going to leave you and all these packages here and go find something myself!” the swordsman shouted.

 

“For fuck's sake, alright already!” Sanji yelled back, once again heading towards the line of people. An elderly couple carrying a rug stepped away from the shouting pair, choosing instead to go in a different direction. Zoro began to follow the blond, but spying a sake vendor, headed towards there instead.

 

“Would you like to try a sip of our sake? Its the finest on the island!” the beautiful saleswoman inquired, winking at the handsome green-haired man.  
  
“Sure, I'll try a sip,” Zoro replied, not noticing the obvious flirting.

 

“Here, put down your packages and take a seat,” she purred, gesturing towards a few pillows. Zoro sat down and put the packages and bags where he could keep an eye on them. He nodded at a pair of older men on nearby pillows who nodded back, one lifting his cup to welcome the newcomer.

 

“Tanya sells the best sake on the island,” one of the men said as she handed Zoro a cup and poured in a liberal amount. He swallowed it in one gulp and held out the cup for more.  
  
“That'll be 200 beli,” she told Zoro, holding out her hand.

 

“You said I could try it!” the swordsman replied, frowning.

 

“I never said it was free,” she pointed out.

 

“She didn't,” the second man said, the first man nodding in agreement.

 

Grumbling, Zoro searched through his pockets and came up empty.

 

“I must have given my money to the cook,” he grumbled. Tanya frowned as she gestured to three Marines that were passing by.

 

“This guy refuses to pay!” she cried, pointing towards Zoro. One of the Marines did a double take as he pointed at the swordsman.

 

“Isn't that Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro?” he cried out as the three began running towards him.

 

“Shit,” Zoro said in a low voice, quickly getting up from the pillow. Not wanting to leave behind the crews' food, he grabbed it and ran, clutching the packages and bags as best he could. Ducking under Tanya's outstretched arms, Zoro ran out the stall.

 

“He's getting away! Go get him!” she cried as the swordsman pushed his way through the busy shoppers. For once, Zoro headed in the right direction towards the blond head waiting in the food stall line. Ducking and running, the swordsman bumped into an old man, who fell to the ground.

 

“Sorry!” he called out to the man, who groaned and rubbed his butt.

 

“That man knocked Gramps down!” a small boy shouted as his older sister tried to help the old man up from the hard ground. The Marines headed towards the commotion, frowning at the accidental hit.

 

“STOP!” one shouted, the trio running past the old man and the two children.  
  
“COOK! MARINES!” Zoro yelled to Sanji, who ducked and began to run, bobbing and weaving through the crowd.

 

Pounding the ground behind him, Zoro tried to follow Sanji, but somehow ended up in a small dead-end alley. Two of the Marines chuckled lowly while the third one pulled out his sword.

 

“Lets see how good a sword fighter you _really_ are, Roronoa Zoro,” he said, waving the blade.

 

The green-haired man blinked when two of the Marines suddenly fell to the ground, knocked out cold. The third one turned to see what had caused them to fall, only to find a hard-soled shoe in his face.

 

Sanji felt more than heard the nose of the sword-waving Marine break as he waved an arm at Zoro.

 

“How dare they make you jostle my ingredients! Don't they realize that some of them are delicate?” the cook yelled, waving at the swordsman to hurry.  
  
Zoro frowned as he rushed out of the alley. “I could have handled them if I dropped the food,” he growled.

 

“Its a good thing that you didn't drop any,“ Sanji told him. “We were getting low and really needed to restock. I'll never forgive them if they made you break any of my eggs!” His nose gushing blood, the Marine with the broken nose tried to get up from the ground. Sanji kicked him in the ribs, causing him to fall back down groaning as the blond stepped over him and out the alley.

 

Following the head of green hair moving away from the port, Sanji reached out a hand and turned Zoro around.

 

“This way, stupid plant,” the cook said just as they were spotted by Tanya and two more Marines. She pointed towards them just as Sanji grabbed Zoro's sleeve.

 

“We need you to cover your hair!” Sanji said as they passed a vendor selling woman’s scarves. Grabbing one with his free hand, he quickly wrapped it around the swordsman's hair, and then wrapped a second one around his own.  
  
“OI! You need to pay for those!” the middle-aged woman shouted.

 

Bowing quickly, Sanji reached into his pocket and handed her five times the prices before hurrying away. Zoro, his distinctive green hair now covered, followed.

 

The two Marines moved in their general direction, pushing their way through the crowd as they searched for the green-haired swordsman.

 

“This way! Sanji said, heading towards the fish market. Vendors, wanting to make a sale stepped in the path of the pair waving their wares in their faces. One overly excited seller tossed a fish at Zoro, who barely dodged in time. The slippery fish hit the ground just in time for the Marine's foot to land upon it with a 'squish.' Sliding across the marketplace, the sailor somehow missed running into anyone, instead crashing into the stall marked “Fresh Caught Crabs!” The crabs, made crabbier still by being out of their natural environment, latched on, mercilessly pinching the Marine all over. Shrieking in pain, he ran around as the crab vender and the other Marine tried to calm him down. Wanting to retrieve his merchandise, the vender waved his arms as bystanders gawped at the spectacle.

 

Grateful for the distraction, Zoro and Sanji rushed through the crowd of onlookers, who were more interested in the spectacle encompassing the crab-covered Marine than the two people hurrying away.

 

Managing to get out of town without being tracked any further, the pair hid under a tree with drooping limbs, leaning against the trunk to catch their breath.

 

“Oh MAN, did you see the Marine that literally got crabs? Funny as shit!” Sanji gasped to Zoro, one hand against the trunk to support him while he laughed.

 

Zoro nodded, laughing. “I thought I was going to drop everything! Did you see him slide across the marketplace on the fish?”

 

That brought out a new round of laughter from the pair.

 

“I...I think that...was the funniest chase we've had in a long time!” Zoro finally managed to wheeze out, a huge smile on his face.

 

Wearing a huge grin of his own, Sanji leaned in and kissed the swordsman. Zoro stopped laughing, opening his mouth and closing his eye as the blond took charge. Slowly breaking away, Sanji leaned back and watched as Zoro slowly opened his eye.

 

“What...was that for?” he asked, a blush reddening his cheeks.

 

“For being with me on this fun date,” the blond replied. “It was a great idea.”

 

Zoro looked at the ground. “Its nothing,” he muttered, blushing even more.

 

Placing his hand on Zoro's shoulder, Sanji looked at the swordsman. “Lets get you to the Sunny, those packages must be getting heavy,” he said, taking the package of eggs.

 

His cheeks still red, Zoro nodded.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Putting away the last of the eggs, Sanji leaned against the counter and looked around the kitchen, wearing a pleased smile. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out his pack and lit up a cigarette as he walked out the door. He inhaled the smoke and held it for a bit before blowing it out, grateful that the smoke was carried downwind and over the ocean. Casually shoving his free hand into his pants pocket, he leaned back to enjoy his smoke. Voices drifted down from somewhere near the main mast on the garden deck above him. Knowing that Usopp was assigned to watch the Thousand Sunny while most of the crew were still in town, he listened.

 

“...but why him? Why not some pretty girl, like Nami? Or Robin? She's very elegant,” he heard Usopp say.

 

“I can't answer that, Usopp. I can't help who I fall for. It just kinda happened,” he heard Zoro reply. “I think...Cook was right. Because 'we're on the same wavelength,' as he told me. It makes sense. We understand each other on some basic level. We're both warriors, even if he only uses his feet. I think...we...mesh.”

 

“'Mesh?' What does that mean?” Usopp asked.

 

“I think...we kind of balance each other. Like his yin to my yang. What he's missing, I have, and vice versa,” Zoro explained.

 

“But that still doesn't change the fact that Sanji's a _man_! A guy, a male, not female, not a girl! How could you like _ANOTHER MAN_?”

 

Sanji heard Zoro's deep sigh and then silence. Counting to ten, he nearly went to interrupt the conversation before he heard Zoro sigh a second time.

 

“I've liked guys for as far back as I can remember, Usopp. I was born this way. I can't help the way I was born, any more than you can help having a long nose.”

 

“OI!” the blond heard Usopp say. “I can't help it that I was born with my Mom's nose! I happen to think its a very endearing feature.” Sanji could hear the pride in the younger man's voice.

 

“Exactly,” the swordsman answered. “I can't help that I was born liking guys. Its not something that I can change.”

 

“Hmmm...” Sanji heard Usopp say. The two men fell silent. Just as Sanji was about to head back down to the kitchen, he heard Usopp again.

 

“So...when did you start falling for Sanji,” he asked softly.

 

Zoro must have put his hand on his swords, because Sanji heard the saya clink softly together.

 

“...I think it started while we were at Little Garden.”

 

Usopp gasped. “That long ago? Why didn't you say anything until now?”

 

“Because I didn't know what this feeling was! No one had ever explained it to me, and I wasn't going to ask for help. I have my pride, you know!”

 

Sanji could practically see Usopp nodding his head in understanding.

 

“But you just now figured it out? After all this time?” Usopp asked.

 

“Yeah. I kinda had to. I mean, he figured me out that night. I...guess I was in denial for a long time. I had to get drunk in order to even face about how I felt towards him, yannow?,” the green-haired man said.

 

“Oh. But you know now?” the sniper asked.

 

Zoro fell silent again. Sanji waited, the burning cigarette forgotten in between his fingers. The next words spoken were so soft that they were nearly lost in the wind.

 

“Yeah. I love him.”

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Making their way back to the base, the five Marines limped into the commander's office to give their reports. The two men that were knocked unconscious were still a little addled, but otherwise fine. Montgomery, the Marine with the broken nose had to get it set, and Taylor, the formerly crab-covered Marine had multiple bruises and a couple of lacerations that needed stitches. Base Captain Osamu Ikehara shouted at the four injured men the entire way to the Infirmary.

 

“ _Five_ highly-trained men couldn't catch _one lone pirate_? And you _DARE_ call yourselves _Marines_?” Ikehara shouted as he reprimanded his men. The two previously unconscious men winced as the pounding in their heads doubled.

 

“Shhhhhh! Not so loud, Captain!” Doctor Rubina Jackson said in a stage whisper. “You'll only make their headaches worse!”

 

The two Marines managed to look guilty despite their headaches, but the Marine having his nose taken care of only looked angry. He yelped as a nurse forced his nose back into place, then began taping it.

 

“Roronoa Zoro had some help, sir!” the formerly crab-covered man explained. He yipped as Doctor Jackson stitched one of his injuries.

 

“And did you see this “help” so that you can arrest them for aiding and abetting, Taylor?” the Captain asked, angrily crossing his arms.

 

“...No sir,” Taylor replied, suddenly finding the clenched hands in his lap interesting. Taylor shuddered at the memory the conversation brought back while Doctor Jackson applied salve to the newly-stitched injury.

 

“I'm gonna get that green-haired freak and his accomplice!” Montgomery growled, wincing at the pain in his nose.

 

“You know who his accomplise was, Monty? I'll help you bash in his brains!” Taylor said as more salve was applied to his crab-pinched skin.

 

 


	3. Hidden in Plain Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look around, you may see....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to the nature of this chapter, I thought it best to change the rating of this story from Mature to Explicit. If unusual sexual fetishes bother you, you might not wish to continue reading. 
> 
> I got my Film Z Zoro in the mail today, and it made me _really_ want to post this chapter. *places Zoro and Sanji figures together and grins wickedly*
> 
> Once again, I thank Eiri, my beta. Without you, I would forever have to rewrite the end of this chapter for it to read the way it plays out in my head. (._.);

After dinner, the kitchen of the Thousand Sunny was filled with the sweet sounds of merriment.

 

Grinning, Sanji finished the story of his and Zoro's afternoon adventure while slicing pieces of newly-baked apple pie. Placing a plate with a huge slice in front of Nami and another in front of Robin, the rest of the crew continued their laughter while the chef moved to get more dessert-filled plates.

 

“I still can't believe that guy crashed into the crabs!” Luffy howled, pieces of pie spraying from his mouth while he spoke.

 

“Yeah, it was so funny I almost dropped the food!” Zoro admitted, a huge grin on his face as his dark eye sparkled.

 

“It was the best first date I've ever been on!” Sanji added, his own eyes shining.

 

Doubled over with laughter, Usopp held his stomach. “I...I can't breathe!” he gasped.

 

“Are you okay?” Chopper worriedly asked the sniper.

 

“F...fine!” Usopp replied, grinning as he continued to hold his stomach.

 

Nodding, Chopper smiled. “I bet that hurt, getting pinched by all of those crabs,” he mused. “But I'm glad you guys got away!”

 

“I'm sure the men are fine,” Robin said, tilting her head as she smiled at the little reindeer. “The Marines are known to have excellent doctors.”

 

“Doctors that know how to treat crabs!” Nami quipped.

 

The laughing fit that followed left them all breathless.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

While the Mugiwara pirates laughed, the two marines were plotting.

 

Finished with a particularly vicious katana practice, Edwin “Monty” Montgomery frowned as he watched his six sparring partners being tended by medical personnel on the grounds of the practice field. Stretchers littered the ground next to each victim while their wounds were bandaged.

 

“I think I'll need eight sparing partners next time,” he murmured to himself as he watched Doctor Rubina Jackson direct the care of the injured men.

 

“Do you ever feel guilty for hurting your own fellow marines?” Taylor asked the other man.

 

“No. I'm helping them improve so that they can better fight off enemies,” Monty explained. “If they get injured, its because they failed to defend themselves properly. That shows they need to learn from their mistakes and step it up next time.”

 

Monty turned away and picked up his katana and a cloth, wiping the blade clean of blood and inspecting it before putting it in its saya and heading towards the locker room. Taylor gazed once more at the goings-on in the field before silently following, Sitting on a locker room bench, he watched as Monty put his katana in a locker, averting his eyes as the other marine began stripping off his clothes. He waited until a quick glance showed him that to other man was wearing a towel.

 

“How are we supposed to find the Mugiwara? There are so many small coves and hidden places to hide a ship around this fucking island,” Taylor commented, scratching absently at a healing crab-pinch.

 

Taking his soap and shampoo out of his locker, Monty picked up a second towel.

 

“Simple. Roronoa Zoro looked like they had been shopping, right?” Monty explained, the nasalness caused by his broken nose echoing in the locker room. “It seemed like we caught them in the middle of it. We just have to keep an eye on the marketplace for them to finish up their shopping and then we can nab those assholes!”

 

Taylor shrugged. “What's to say they're not finished? They might have left by now.”

 

Monty growled. “Then maybe we should get a ship and go looking for them.”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

The next afternoon found Sanji and Zoro back at the marketplace.

 

Rubbing at his scarfed head, the swordsman wiped away a bit of sweat. Even though they had landed on an autumn island, it seems that it was going through an Indian summer and the days were hot and bright.

 

“I know that the sake stand was near that one food stand...” Zoro muttered, wiping away sweat yet again.

 

“I know where it is. Just keep close Marimo,” Sanji stopped long enough to light a cigarette before once again making his way through the crowd of shoppers.

 

His hand in his pants pocket, Zoro fingered the small pouch of beli that he had managed to get from Nami. Thinking back, he frowned as he remembered how she had acted when he asked for the money.

 

“ _If I give this to you, I'm adding it to what you owe me.” the redhead had warned._

 

“ _It doesn't matter to me. I'll pay you back. Just give me the money to pay back my sake bill.”_

 

_Nami clucked her tongue and then smiled wickedly. “With interest compounded daily, it'll probably be a lot by the time you get any money.” she added as she gave him the pouch._

 

“ _Whatever. I'll make sure you get your beli,” he growled._

 

Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he placed it on his three katana as he moved through the throng of people.

 

Turning to glare at the swordsman, Sanji gritted his teeth on the cigarette's filter. “Are you _trying_ to get lost, stupid plant?” he asked.

 

Frowning, Zoro strode closer to the chef, glad that the scarf that hid his green hair also hid the redness creeping up into his cheeks.

 

“That's better,” Sanji muttered. Blowing out a cloud of smoke, he headed straight for the sake booth, his eyes lighting up as he spied the pretty Tanya.

 

“Ah fair maiden, I bring you money owed,” he said, his eyes shining as he watched her pour sake into an older man's cup.

 

“Money owed?” she asked as she finished pouring and turned to look at the chef.

 

“Yeah. I drank some of your sake the other day and I didn't have any money on me,” Zoro said, stepping forward and momentarily uncovering his face and hair. Handing her the pouch of beli, he frowned. “I didn't want to take away from your livelihood.”

 

Hefting the pouch, she smiled at the swordsman. “I'm glad. I worked hard to make it, and fine ingredients are expensive.” Flirting with both Mugiwara, she hefted the pitcher. “Would either of you like to try any sake? Its the best on Ochre Island!” she said proudly.

 

“No thank you, my sweet, but I _will_ happily drink in the loveliness that is your beauty,” Sanji cried, dancing closer.

 

“Yeah, I'd like some more, but now I don't have any money,” Zoro explained as he frowned at her.

 

“Oh. I see,” she said, turning away to pour a cup for one of her customers. Sanji's shoulders slumped.

 

“Come on shit cook, lets get out of here,” the swordsman said as he turned to go. Sanji followed, but not before turning to glance once more at the beautiful woman. Not noticing where he was going, he stepped into the path of a pair of Marines, one with his nose heavily bandaged.

 

“Watch were you're going, you fucking moron!” the bandaged sailor yelled nasally as he stepped around the blond. Sanji bristled at the name-calling, but continued, looking for a scarf-covered head. Unfortunately, there were quite a few people wearing head scarves as protection from the sunny day. Turning around, he spied a head wearing a scarf. Hurrying after, he caught up, yanking on their arm.  
  
“Why didn't you wait for...oh, I'm sorry ma'am,” he told the startled woman as she shifted her bag of groceries. Turning around, he spotted another scarf-wearing head moving away from him. Hurrying, he ran to stand in front of the man, who simply frowned and moved around him.

 

“Where the fuck is that seaweed-head?” Sanji wondered aloud. He lit a cigarette and turned to walk back the way he came, bumping into an elderly man and knocking him down.

 

“That man knocked Gramps down!” a small boy shouted to his sister. She handed her shopping bag to the boy before reaching to help the old man up from the hard ground.

 

“I'm sorry, Gramps,” Sanji said as he too reached out to help.

 

“You young people should watch where you're going!” the old man yelled as a third pair of hands came out of nowhere and bodily picked him up.

 

“Sorry you were knocked down,” Zoro muttered as he stood the old man up. The two children stared as the swordsman dusted the elderly man off.

 

“We should leave. We're attracting too much attention,” the cook muttered, cautiously eying the two Marines that had turned around at the commotion. Moving away, Sanji led Zoro to a curtained stall, which the chef was thrilled to find out carried cigarettes, cigars and other smoking items.

 

“I _knew_ there had to be a cigarette vender on this island!” Sanji cried as he looked around, his eyes shining.

 

“Hurry it up Cook, before we get found,” the green-haired man grumbled out of earshot of the vender, who was all too happy to begin prattling on about his wares.

 

A bit later both men exited the shop carrying as many boxes of cigarettes as they could manage.

 

“I think I'm stocked up for at least a few weeks, longer if I freeze them,” Sanji chirped happily, blowing out sweet smoke from a specially prepared sample cigarette.

 

“I'm happy for you Cook,” Zoro deadpanned, shifting the boxes into a more comfortable position.

 

“You should be! Happy me equals happy you!” the blond pointed out. Zoro grunted his response.

 

Neither man noticed a small figure following behind as they made their way through the crowd of shoppers.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Enjoying Ochre Island's beauty, Sanji prattled on about the shopping trip as he lead the way along a game trail. Zoro was silent except for the occasional grunt or word as he followed, his head scarf now hanging loosely around his neck. Both men carried boxes of cigarettes towards a small cove where the Sunny was unobtrusively docked. A shadow followed behind the men, momentarily ducking behind a bush as it spoke softly into a den den mushi.

 

“Yeah, its him all right, Roronoa Zoro. He has green hair just like in the wanted posters. His accomplice is a blond guy that smokes. I can only see him from the back. Looks like they're heading for the far side of the island,” the voice whispered. The voice went silent as it listened to instructions, failing to see that it had been noticed.

 

“Cook...” Zoro began, his voice soft while his dark eye shifted towards the distracted shadow.

 

“I know,” Sanji replied quietly. Feigning a toss of his head to get his hair out of his left eye, the blond used the movement to point out where the shadow was. “We should get ready.”

 

“What about your smokes?” Zoro queried.  
  
“Just worry about yourself, okay moss-head?” Sanji grouched, mentally readying himself for the possibility of a fight. Once again the blond took up the chatter about the shopping trip as they made their way along the game trail.

 

The shadow finished its phone conversation, turning completely invisible before once again following behind the pair, who by now had walked around a huge tree with orange leaves.

 

Once they were around the tree, Sanji and Zoro dropped their packages and readied themselves for the unsuspecting intruder. The now invisible being rounded the tree and froze at the sight of Zoro raising two katana. Beside him, Sanji stood, hands in pockets, an aura of readiness coming off of him.

 

Sensing with their haki, both men turned as one to look at the area where the invisible intruder was standing.

 

“STOP! DON'T HURT ME!” a panicked voice cried out. Both men paused but their gaze never left the area the voice came from.

 

“Fine, but stop hiding, or I'll be forced to unleash my dog!” Sanji warned as Zoro growled.

 

“Okay...okay!” the voice said.

 

A girl of about 12 suddenly seemed to appear out of thin air, her wavy dark brown hair full of dead foliage and pulled into a careless ponytail. She was so dirty that it was nearly impossible to tell what her skin tone was supposed to be and her ragged clothes had seen better days. Despite her appearance, Sanji could see that the girl was extraordinarily beautiful,. She fell on all fours and then looked up at the pair as she shivered fearfully.

 

“You...you are the first people to ever be able to see me,” she told them in a shaky voice. “I can't be seen by anyone if I don't want to see me. Until today. How...how did you find me?” she asked, her normally huge purple eyes made even larger with fear.

 

“First of all we aren't just _anyone,_ ” Sanji stated. Zoro growled again, his two katana still at the ready.

 

“Who were you talking to?” the swordsman asked sternly.

 

“C...Captain Ikehara. The...the captain of the Marine base here on the island. They are looking for you, Roronoa Zoro-san,” she confessed guiltily, bowing her head. “He ordered me to follow you and your companion to see where you're docked. This island has a lot of places where a ship can hide.”

 

“Hn,” Zoro grunted.

 

“And...?” Sanji asked.

 

“To see if the rest of the Mugiwara pirates were with you,” she finished as tears began to fall. “I was just doing what they told me to do! I wasn't going to hurt you or anything, I don't know how! I just spy wherever they tell me to!”

 

“They must pay you really well to spy on people,” Zoro said, frowning.

 

The girl hung her head. “No. I do what they tell me so that they don't hurt my parents,” she explained.

 

She waited for a reaction, but receiving none, she looked up to see that Zoro's expression had softened.

 

“The Marines are holding your parents?” he asked. The girl nodded sorrowfully.

 

“They've kept them as security so that I'll do what they want me to. If I do, they let me see them. I hate working for them,” she spat venomously, as a flash of pure hatred crossed her face. Sighing, she hung her head again. “We...” she began before wiping fresh tears from her eyes.

 

“Go ahead, we're listening,” Sanji told her in a gentle voice. The girl took a deep breath and began again.

 

“My parents and I were so happy before they built the base here two and a half years ago. Mom was a pirate, and one of the things she brought back from her travels was a devil fruit. She hid it really well, but I found it one day when I was a kid. When they came to arrest her, she took me and tried to hide, but I fell and she didn't want to leave me behind,” The girl looked guilty at the admission.

 

“...And they caught her and put her in prison,” Sanji finished, bending down to help the girl up from her kneeling position. She hung her head but nodded and continued.

 

“Yeah. They didn't arrest me, so I went to where the fruit was hidden and ate it, hoping that I would end up with some power that could help my parents escape. Once I realized what I could do, I used to sneak in to see them. But I got caught. The captain said if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd put my parents up for execution since my mom is still wanted. I...I do what they tell me to do so that they won't kill them.” The girl sniffled and wiped at her nose.

 

“And now that I've gotten caught by you two, I can't do what they wanted to catch you. My parents will be executed. And when I go back, they'll arrest me,” she said with finality.

 

“What's your name little lady?” Sanji asked kindly, reaching into his pocket to give her a handkerchief.

 

K...Ketzie,” she replied, using the handkerchief to wipe her nose before blowing into it. Wiping at her eyes, she sighed.

 

“What if we could help your parents get free?” Zoro inquired brusquely, putting away one of his katana. He kept the other one out in case the Marines showed up.

 

“The Marimo's right,” the blond added. Looking at Zoro, he smirked mischievously. “What if we could help your folks get free and help you get off of this island and someplace safe from the Marines?”

 

Ketzie stared first at Sanji and then at Zoro. “You'd do that for me?” she said in a whisper. “Even after I was going to turn you in to the Marines?”

 

“Sure. I'm tired of running from them,” Zoro said, mirroring Sanji's smirk. Tipping his head from side to side, the swordsman audibly cracked his neck before smiling wickedly. “I'm up for a good fight, its been a while.”

 

“It goes against my personal code to leave a lady in distress,” Sanji added, bowing as he took her hand and chastely kissed the back.

 

Tears filled Ketzie's eyes and flowed down her cheeks as she nodded her consent to the offer. Both men waited patiently as the young girl bent over and cried, finally allowing herself to feel relief for the first time in a very long time. Once the sobbing had died down, Sanji walked over and placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder, causing her to rub her eyes and gaze up at him. He looked tenderly down at the brown-haired beauty, kindness showing in his visible eye.

 

“We'll have to ask our captain if its okay to help you, but knowing him, he'll be more than happy to help. That idiot loves an adventure, and a rescue is right up his alley,” the cook explained, smiling.

 

“But...now what do I tell Captain Ikehara?” Ketzie asked before blowing her nose.  
  
“Why not tell him the truth...kinda?” Zoro suggested.

 

“Great idea for once, Marimo,” Sanji murmured thoughtfully, as the pair exchanged wicked grins.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Having returned to the Sunny, Sanji and Zoro were in the Sunny's kitchen, along with the rest of the Mugiwara.

 

“How do we know she's not setting us up?” Usopp asked suspiciously. “You...you said she was spying for them, how do we know she didn't just put on an act?”  


Taking a seat on the couch near Zoro, Sanji lit up a cigarette and inhaled deep, blowing out a huge cloud of smoke before answering. “My instincts tell me her story's legit,” he explained simply.

 

Usopp continued, his voice trembling with fear. “But y...you two nearly got caught twice already! I really feel a case of my “I-can't-do-this-rescue-because-the-Marines-will-capture-us” disease coming on. I think we should leave this island before we _do_ get captured!”

 

Zoro shrugged. “I want to do this,” he said, crossing his arms and frowning at the sniper.

 

“What the Marimo said,” Sanji added. “Besides, have we ever NOT help anyone when the Marines wronged them? Who are we to walk away from this girl?”

 

“You're only saying that because Ketzie is so pretty,” Zoro grumbled. “I bet you just want to look at her Mom.”

 

“And so what if I do? Its not like I'm going to date her, she's married!” Sanji shot back.

 

“Alright you two, that's enough,” Nami interjected before the quibbling worsened. Both men sat back but glared at each other before returning to listen to their navigator.

 

“Right now, Ketzie's clean, fed and sleeping in my bed,” Nami said, continuing. “The poor thing was filthy, tired and hungry, but Chopper said, other than that, she's in surprisingly good health.” The young doctor nodded his agreement with her statement on Ketzie's health.

 

“She needs some down time with people that will keep her safe since the Marines hadn't done so. Right now the important question is, what do we have her tell Captain Ikehara?”

 

“Why not take Zoro's suggestion?” Robin said, smiling. “We have her tell the truth. We bathed and clothed her, fed her, and made sure she was a comfortable...prisoner, but during the night, she used her Devil's Fruit power and got away.”

 

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Nami replied, turning to Robin and nodding. “That way, she should be able to go back and make sure that they don't execute her parents. When she wakes up, I'll have her tell me what the Marine base looks like so I can draw up a map. That way, we'll have an idea where her parents are and what to avoid. That way, we'll be more able to plan the rescue.”

 

“Whatever. I just want to fight the Marines for doing this to her,” Luffy proclaimed, his expression stern as he stood up. “They're keeping her away from her folks, that's just wrong.”

 

“We need a plan first, Luffy,” Nami explained, her own expression showing that she agreed with her captain. “But, if we go in there like gangbusters, the Marines might hurt Ketzie's parents. We have to do the rescue in a way that won't get them hurt...or worse.”

 

“Okay Nami,” Luffy said solemnly as he retook his seat. Franky patted the young captain on the shoulder before turning back to listen to Nami.

 

“Okay guys, this is what we're going to do first....”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Base Captain Osamu Ikehara looked out of his open office window that overlooked the practice field. Monty, as he was known as was in the middle of a group of ten other swordsmen, holding them off with ease. As he slashed at one, another one came at him, only to be rebuffed by his sword. Ikehara watched coldly while Monty felled them one by one, frowning as Dr Rubina Jackson ran out onto the field, shouting for Monty to stop before he ran his sword through one of his fellow Marines in a fit of blood-lust. The older doctor yelled at the much larger Marine, who stared angrily at her as she yelled and waggled her finger before turning away. He raised his hand to his aching nose, cursing Roronoa Zoro under his breath for having caused his injury. Balling his hand into a fist, he shoved it into his pocket to pull out a blood-stained rag and began to forcefully run the rag over the bloody blade. Dr. Jackson began to shout at a group of waiting medical personnel as she directed the care of the injured men before each were carried or helped off of the field.

 

“I think that Monty will be just fine going after Roronoa Zoro. I want to add that man to my _personal_ collection,” Captain Ikehara murmured to himself before he placed a hand on one of his specially-crafted gold pistol handles. A slight rustle of petticoats caused him to turn around as his stunningly beautiful maid placed the full tea tray on the waiting table next to his desk.

 

“Lunch is ready, sir.” the maid called out in a melodious voice as each dish was carefully put in place.

 

“You will meet me in my bedroom, Hayden. I feel the need to...relieve myself,” he purred cruelly, causing the maid to look at him with wide hazel eyes and shudder. “And this time, take your hair down and brush it thoroughly. If I see _one_ tangle, you know what I will do to you,” he warned.

 

Hayden bowed in response and then looked hopefully at Ikehara.

 

“Captain sir, may I see my daughter before...”

 

“Your daughter is currently working and is unable to leave her present mission,” Ikehara interrupted. Hayden hesitated briefly before sighing in resignation.

 

“Yes sir, thank you sir.” Hayden picked up the empty tray and left the room.

 

Ikehara turned back to the window and watched as the last Marine was carried off of the practice field before turning to his lunch.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Entering Captain Ikehara's bedroom, Hayden sighed again and blinked back tears before heading over to the closet to begin the precise routine. Taking out a hanger, the maid uniform was quickly stripped off and hung up, care taken so that each piece would not become wrinkled. Now nude, Hayden walked over to the vanity and sat down. Hayden flipped a switch on the vanity. Its bright lights flickered on as the maid reached back to undo the red velvet ribbon that held the waist-long deep brown ponytail in place. Carefully, the red ribbon was placed upon the vanity's surface. Hayden took a brief moment to gaze into the mirror before a delicate hand reached for the gilt boar-bristle brush.

 

The ritual began.

 

Hayden counted aloud each stroke of the brush through the thick wavy locks. The brushing rapidly brought out the shine and accented the natural waviness of the long tresses.

 

On the other side of the door, Captain Ikehara waited, mentally counting along with Hayden. At number fifty, he opened the door to watch as the maid continue to count, the pants of his uniform tented and slightly damp from precum. He watched with lust-darkened eyes as the brush made its way through the maid's luxurious hair. At number two hundred, Ikehara walked over to the vanity and grabbed the brush from nerveless fingers before he started brushing Hayden's hair himself while the maid continued to count. At number three hundred, he put the brush on the vanity and gazed into the mirror, ignoring Hayden's expression of terror mixed with disgust.

 

Ikehara brought the long tresses up to his face and rubbed them against his cheeks before he inhaled deeply, the scent of flowered shampoo making its way into his nostrils. His cock twitched with anticipation when he opened his pants, the zipper sound causing Hayden to pale. He grabbed a handful of hair and opened his mouth, making sure to taste it before he wet the locks with saliva. He closed his eyes and wrapped the moist locks around his dripping cock, the deep sigh of satisfaction making Hayden shudder with revulsion before closing hazel-colored eyes.

 

“You have the most beautiful hair, my sweet,” the captain groaned before he wrapped his hand around his cock and thrust his hips, the hair-wrapped foreskin sliding back and forth as he masturbated.

 

“Thank you, Captain Ikehara,” the beautiful maid replied through clenched teeth.

 

Panting, Ikehara grit his teeth and looked at the hair surrounding his cock, occasionally glancing in the mirror while Hayden also watched, despising that the captain had made it an order to be followed.

 

“I could fall in love with you just for your hair,” Ikehara said, stroking his cock faster as he grabbed more hair with his free hand.

 

Cheeks flushed and eyes closed with shame, Hayden gave the rote reply. “And...I with you.”

 

Grunting, Ikehara came hard on the back of his maid's head, his cum mixing with the strands of rich brown hair and dripping onto the maid's shoulder. Hayden, momentarily released from the order, looked at the top of the vanity, face red as cum dripped off of the brown tresses and onto the floor.

 

“Clean that up,” Ikehara ordered as he wiped himself off with a clean section of Hayden's hair and tucked himself back into his pants.

 

“Yes Captain Ikehara,” Hayden replied, not moving until the captain had shut the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Trichophillia is a form of hair fetishism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_fetishism


	4. And So It Begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter, but sometimes Life has a habit of getting in the way. And its not always fun. D: 
> 
> I had to threaten to pull off my muse's wings in order for her to let me write despite the IRL!drama that was going on. >:/ The good news is that I've started the next chapter. Hopefully I can get it done with less IRL!drama. bleah. (^_~) 
> 
> Eiri beta-ed this chapter for me after coming home from many a hard days' work. Much love Eiri, much love!

Ketzie jolted awake in the middle of the night when she once again sensed she was no longer alone in bed. Terrified, she slowly opened one eye to be met by a mass of reddish orange hair lying on the pillow next to her. The previous evening came flooding back to her and she relaxed as she remembered what had occurred.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Here my dear, eat as much as you want, there's plenty,” the blond man named Sanji had told her. She had taken a tentative bite of the food, and realized that it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. Even better than her mother's cooking. She ate quickly, but when she nearly choked while eating, Sanji had smiled down at her as he patted her back.

 

“Its okay to take your time. No one's going to take it from you,” he remarked kindly. She turned to look up at him and then fearfully at the green-haired swordsman, who frowned as he sat at the other end of the long table.

 

“I ain't gonna take your food. Cook's making enough for everyone. I'll eat then,” he had explained to her. Ketzie nodded in understanding and then continued to eat, taking the time to properly chew her food.

 

Roronoa Zoro, or just Zoro as she heard Sanji call him, sat with his eyes closed for the most part while she ate. She watched Sanji cook what looked like enough food for a small army. A few times she thought she saw the green-haired swordsman occasionally open his unscarred eye and watch the blond, Zoro's expression unfamiliar to the young girl. Sanji, who was too busy to notice, continued cooking, but when Zoro noticed that she had caught him watching, the swordsman blushed and stood up.

 

“I'm gonna go take a nap,” he said to no one in particular.

 

“Fine, fine,” Sanji replied cheerfully as he turned and smiled at Zoro, which caused him to blush an even deeper red.

 

That was strange.

 

What was stranger was the rest of the crew.

 

When dinner was called, Ketzie heard a number of footsteps heading towards the kitchen. Having long ago finished her meal, she fearfully curled up her chair as the footsteps suddenly stopped. The door slowly opened, and a beautiful redheaded woman came into the kitchen.

 

“Hello Nami~swan,” Sanji sing-songed as the woman's brown eyes came to rest on Ketzie.

 

“Chopper said that he smelled someone he didn't recognize,” she stated, her expression going from wary to surprised before becoming kind.

 

“This is Ketzie-chan. She needs our help,” Sanji explained. Nami nodded as she took a seat next to the girl.

 

“Its okay guys. Sanji and Zoro made a new friend,” she called out to the people waiting just outside the closed door.

 

“Great, 'cause I'm starving!” chirped a young man's eager voice. She watched as a skinny yet muscular black-haired teenager with a scar on his chest push the door open and all but bounced into the kitchen. Taking a seat on the other side of her, he pushed further back onto his head a battered straw hat and grinned at the frightened girl.

 

“Hi! I'm Luffy! Who are you?” he asked. Ketzie shrank away and tried to make herself even smaller in the chair as she hid her face behind her hands.

 

“Be nice Luffy, Ketzie's had it rough,” Sanji warned, a huge wooden spoon in his hand at the ready in case the bouncy man gave the girl any trouble.

 

“Okay Sanji,” the man named Luffy replied, his expression becoming momentarily serious before smiling once again.

 

The rest of the crew that made their way into the kitchen were far more subdued than before. And what a crew it was! Ketzie looked out from between her fingers and saw a huge blue-haired robot man, a walking skeleton with a huge afro and a hat-wearing tanuki. The last person she saw behind her fingers was a man with the longest nose she had ever seen. She stared in wonder at the man's nose as everyone else took their seats. She noticed that some of the people looked at her, curiosity apparent as others actively avoided looking her way.

 

The quiet lasted all of two minutes before Luffy managed to shove an entire loaf of bread into his mouth.

 

“Thif if Keffie, Sanfi'f neh fwien',” the young man managed to say as he chewed, pieces of bread spewing from his mouth as he spoke.

 

“EWWWWW!” squealed the tanuki in a high-pitched voice. “That's gross Luffy!”  
  
“Yeah, don't talk with your mouth full!” reiterated the long-nosed man, his curly black hair shoved underneath a floppy hat. Ketzie's eyes went wide as Luffy somehow **s t r e t c h e d** his arm to grab at the meat on the long-nosed man's plate. The man grabbed a nearby knife and repeatedly stabbed at the arm without actually striking it.

 

Grinning, Luffy picked up his own knife and the pair began an impromptu sword fight as Luffy tried to grab food from the now-guarded plate.

 

“Luffy! Eat your own food!” Sanji shouted as he placed a huge bowl of salad in the center of the table.

 

“OW! Good thing they're using butter knives!” the robot-man chirped as the long-nosed man blocked a stretched hand from grabbing his pork chop.

 

“If they were real swords, Usopp-san's nose would be in the gravy by now,” said a beautiful woman with black hair and huge blue eyes as she sedately cut her meat.

 

“Morbid Robin!” Usopp cried, bringing one hand up to his long nose. The knives tinged musically as he made yet another successful block.

 

“At least you _have_ a nose. Skull joke! Yohohoho!” the living skeleton pointed out before taking a huge drink from a glass of milk.

 

“If I was fighting, I'd have both Usopp's dinner _and_ dessert by now,” Zoro said, otherwise ignoring the swordfighting pair while he ate.

 

“Dessert? Where?” Luffy cried, managing to spear Usopp's pork chop, only to groan as it fell into the salad bowl.

 

Ketzie watched the goings-on and felt her eyes fill with tears. She wiped at her nose with her dirty sleeve and sniffled, immediately catching the attention of the pretty red-headed girl, who had ignored everyone but the young girl while she ate.

 

“Are you okay Ketzie-chan?” Nami asked gently, which caused Ketzie to sniffle sorrowfully.

 

“You look like you need a hug,” Nami replied in a kind voice as she opened her arms. Ketzie all but flew into Nami's lap. The swordfighting stopped immediately, Luffy dropping his butter knife as Usopp fished his pork chop out of the salad bowl. Everyone turned to look at the pair while the young girl held tightly onto the navigator and cried.

 

“You...are a family, aren't you?” Ketzie managed to ask through her tears.

 

“We're nakama...so I guess you can say we are,” Nami replied as she rubbed soothing circles onto Ketzie's back.

 

“I...have a family...” she began.

 

“Why aren't you with them?” Luffy asked as he slowly leaned closer to the pair, his dinner temporarily forgotten.

 

The question only brought forth more tears. Nami glared at the younger man, but said nothing, only holding up a finger to her lips. After a few moments, Ketzie managed to slow the onslaught to look at Luffy, who gazed back with a puzzled expression, then to Nami while the rest of the crew waited and watched silently.

 

“Ketzie-chan, who took away your family?” Nami asked gently.

 

“The...the Marines,” Ketzie managed to choke out, fighting back further tears.

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Nami asked while she continued to rub circles on Ketzie's back.

 

Emotional floodgates that had only cracked open in the forest opened wide as Ketzie poured out her story between tears and body-shaking sobs. For once, dinner was nearly silent, only the occasional sound of silverware on plates interrupted the voice of the young girl while the Mugiwara listened to her tell Nami details that she hadn't told Sanji and Zoro.

 

Ketzie spoke of being forced by Captain Ikehara to stand in the practice field while her bound and gagged parents watched, guarded by the two largest Marines on the base. She visibly shuddered as she repeated Ikehara's words. 'If I see _any part_ of you, I will shoot it' as a way to force the young girl to turn use her Camo Camo no Mi powers. She told of the terror she felt every time one of Ikehara's golden pistols was raised in her direction. How she nearly was shot once for dropping her camouflage when a bird landed near her, the bird taking the shot instead of her.

 

She spoke of how some of the Marines would often take her food and leave her a few bites, and how sometimes she was left with nothing. Of how she was often forced to steal or beg for food and would usually go to bed hungry, her empty stomach protesting as she tried to sleep in her now empty home.

 

She told of how she would dream of helping her parents escape, and how the three of them would return to the house, yet she knew that the huge guards that were never too far from either parent could tell when she was around, even when she was camouflaged. How she only was allowed to see her parents once a week for a half hour each, and never together like a family. How her parents would each hug her and tell her how much they loved her and how brave she was. How she was willing to do _anything_ that Ikehara wanted to continue to be allowed to visit them.

 

How afraid she was of losing both of her parents now that she had disobeyed Ikehara for the first time.

 

When Ketzie's story was finished, the crew turned as one to Luffy. Ketzie had calmed down by now, but was left confused since she thought the robot man with the blue hair was their captain, not the goofy black-haired teen.

 

“Captain-san? Do we have your permission to help Ketzie and her family?” Robin asked formally.

 

Luffy sat in his chair, the shadow from his hat covering the top part of his face. The others waited expectantly, knowing the answer but needing to hear the official answer nonetheless.

 

“Yes. We will help Ketzie and her parents escape and help them find them a safe place to go,” he informed his crew.

 

It was as if every Mugiwara had let out a breath that they didn't realize they were holding.

 

While Sanji cleared off the table, the crew began to plan the rescue. Ketzie, exhausted from the emotional release, yawned as she sat in Nami's lap. The navigator's arms encircled her protectively.

 

“Guys,” Nami said, “I'm taking Ketzie for a bath and then to bed. I'll be back down and we'll discuss this further.”

 

“Okay Nami,” Luffy told the redhead.

 

He smiled at Ketzie. “Don't worry. My nakama and I will free your parents and take you someplace safe. Promise.”

 

Ketzie could only blink at Luffy as Nami took her hand and led her out of the kitchen.

 

Nearing the bathhouse, Ketzie stopped walking. Nami turned back to look at the young girl.

 

“Is...Luffy-san _really_ going to help me and my parents?” she asked, her lower lip quivering. Nami stooped down to smile as she gazed into the younger girl's eyes.  
  
“If Luffy says he's going to do something, it will get done. He's a man of his word,” Nami replied gently as she took up her hand once more. Ketzie could only follow blindly, not believing her luck as she was led the rest of the way.

 

Once in the bathhouse, Ketzie was scrubbed by Nami from head to toe with tangerine-scented body wash and had her hair shampooed three times and then brushed to get every bit of dirt and leaves out. Her brown skin shone as Nami first dried off with a huge blue towel and then wrapped a huge fluffy orange towel around Ketzie. She sat back, nodded and smiled.

 

“You're clean,” she declared, causing Ketzie to smile shyly back.

 

Getting down on her knees, Nami hugged her. “Good girl! It would be a shame for someone as pretty as you to be so serious all the time!” she had commented.

 

Nami treating her like a person made Ketzie feel like she was more than just a tool to be used for the first time in a long time.

 

It was also the first real bath she had had in months.

 

Once the pair was in the girls' quarters, Nami dressed while Ketzie sat on a bed, the fluffy towel soft against her skin. She tensed when a knock came on the door.

 

“Who is it?” she heard Nami cry out.

 

“Chopper!” a high-pitched voice replied.

 

“Oh, come on in,” Nami called out as she began to look through her clothes.

 

The tanuki came in carrying a black bag. It bowed at Ketzie and smiled.

 

“I'm Chopper. I'm the doctor here on the Thousand Sunny. I would like to give you an exam so that if you're sick in any way, I can help you get better.”

 

Ketzie looked at Nami, who smiled and nodded. “He's a very good doctor. At one point he brought me back from death's door.”

 

Chopper grinned, blushed and wiggled his arms. “Compliments will get you nowhere, you bastard!” he squealed.

 

Ketzie could only stare at him.

 

Putting down his doctor's bag, Chopper dug around in it and brought out a rubber tube with metal tips on one end and a round metal disk on the other. “This is a stethoscope. It helps me listen to your heart and lungs so I can hear if they're healthy.”

 

Ketzie looked at Nami, who had ceased looking through her clothes to watch the proceedings.

 

“Its okay. I'll be right here for you,” Nami said, sitting down on the bed.

 

Ketzie gazed at the tanuki for a moment, then nodded once for him to begin. Chopper made sure to explain to her everything he did before he did it. He let her examine each item, then showed her how it worked before using it on her. Ketzie asked question after question about each item, what he was doing and why. Chopper seemed pleased to have such a curious and attentive patient.

 

There was only one rough spot in the examination.

 

Gazing at Chopper as he dug in his bag for another instrument, Ketzie had asked, “Why is a tanuki a doctor?”

 

Nami froze as Chopper pulled out what looked like a triangular rubber hammer.

 

“I'm a reindeer,” he said in a soft voice, not wanting to scare the nervous little girl.

 

“Reindeer?” Ketzie asked. “What's that?”

 

Nami held her breath.

 

The little doctor took in a deep breath...and let it out slowly.

 

“Its a kind of deer that usually lives on a winter island. I originally came from one. We're adapted for extremely cold weather.”

 

Ketzie thought about that for a bit while Chopper moved closer.

 

“Then how did you become a doctor if you're a deer...reindeer?” she asked.

 

“I ate the Hito Hito no Mi fruit and it made me a reindeer-human. So I trained under Doctorine back home so that I could help people stay healthy.”

 

Ketzie became quiet once more as she thought.

 

“Okay,” she answered, smiling shyly.

 

Chopper smiled back at her and continued his examination.

 

Nami let out the breath she was holding and stood up. “I'm going to keep looking for something for you to wear,” she informed the younger girl. She picked up a t-shirt and looked at it before nodding and put it aside while Chopper tapped on her knee with the rubber hammer. Once he was finished, he grinned at the young girl.

 

“You're a bit malnourished, but basically you're healthy,” he declared as he closed his bag. Ketzie grinned back, waving to the little doctor as he left.

 

Nami placed the t-shirt and a pair of shorts she found on the bed next to the young girl.

 

“I have to go help the rest of the crew plan the rescue, but I'll be back here later on tonight,” Nami promised. Ketzie nodded and got dressed. Yawning hugely, she climbedinto Nami's bed. She settled down and smiled sleepily when Nami covered her with a soft blanket.

 

“Don't worry Ketzie-chan. We'll help you and your parents. Promise,” she said before stroking Ketzie's silky hair. “Good night.”

 

“Good night, Nami-san,” Ketzie had drowsily replied, falling fast asleep before the redhead had even left the room.

 

Ketzie slept until Nami returned and climbed in bed. Wild-eyed with terror, Ketzie shrieked, not recognizing the navigator. Nami had hugged her and rocked her back and forth.

 

“Shhhh...its okay. You're safe Ketzie, you're safe. No one's going to let you get hurt while you're here with us,” Nami murmured softly to her.

 

Grateful tears slid down her cheeks as she hugged the redhead tight. Nami didn't know quite what to do at first, but then had laid down and put an arm protectively around her. Ketzie suddenly realized that the black-haired woman...Robin?...had hummed softly while she sat in her own bed, a closed book in her lap.

 

The last thing that Ketzie remembered before falling into a dreamless sleep was what looked like a disembodied hand tenderly stroking her hair.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Why can't she just stay on the ship?” Zoro asked, grunting while muscles bunched under his tanned skin. The top part of his robe was tied around his waist, allowing Sanji a really nice view of his muscular chest, back and arms as he walked from window to window.

 

“We have to let her go Marimo, how else will she tell that shitty Captain Ikehara what we need her to say?” Sanji replied as he gazed out a crow's nest window. It was the blond's turn on the second half of night watch. Zoro hadn't said he was keeping Sanji company, but the chef had figured out his new boyfriend's obvious intent. The moon had just set and the stars were shining bright as Sanji looked out the window towards the island, a lit cigarette in his hand. Occasionally, the blond would sneak glances at Zoro while the green-haired man worked out with the weights.

 

Many of the heaviest weights had been placed on a sturdy iron pole. Zoro held the pole like a sword, slowly arching the weights over his head and down behind his back, only to slowly bring them back in front of him. He counted his reps as he countered Sanji's argument.

 

“I just think Ketzie's safest on the Sunny...four hundred sixty five...we can go and kick Marine ass...four hundred sixty six...and she can be safe while we we do so,” Zoro grunted. “I think that if that captain finds out he's helping her, he'll only cause her grief...four hundred sixty nine.”

 

“Four hundred and sixty eight,” the blond corrected, looking out towards the open sea.

 

Zoro scowled at him. “Four hundred sixty eight,” he repeated deliberately.

 

“Nami-swan's plan calls for Ketzie to escape and tell Ikehara that we're still here on the island. If she doesn't do that, Ikehara might hurt her parents. What about that don't you get?” the chef fumed.

 

“Four hundred seventy one...and if we let her go, Ikehara makes her talk by hurting her until she tells him everything about us, including where we are...four hundred seventy three. Either way, the girl gets hurt,” Zoro explained, gritting his teeth in anger.

 

“Look, I know she's young, but look at what she's already been through. She knows her parents' lives are in the balance. They have been all along. But she's a smart girl, and I think that she's as tough and resourceful as Nami must have been at her age. I think she'll be fine, at least until we can rescue her parents.”

 

Sanji walked over to the sweating green-haired man and leaned on Zoro's weights.

 

“Four hundred eighty-OI!”

 

“And I think Ketzie reminds _you_ of....” Sanji began.

 

“Don't you finish that sentence, shit cook!” Zoro warned angrily. Sanji backed up and glared at the swordsman.

 

“I was right! You got it in your head that since you couldn't protect... _her_...that you can protect this girl instead,” Sanji said in a low voice. Putting his free hand in his pocket, he looked at the floor and shook his head before returning to gaze coolly at Zoro.

 

“If you really want to protect Ketzie by keeping her out of this as much as possible, stupid moss-head, then I will help you. Not that I wasn't going to anyway.”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Wrists and ankle chains rattling, Arron hefted the large piece of marble onto a shoulder and walked over to a sturdy, roughly-hewed cart. A growl came forth as a bored guard prodded with the butt of his spear.

 

“Hurry up or no food for you again today!” he intoned.

 

Arron growled again and carefully placed the chunk onto the slowly growing pile before taking up one of the many ropes, along with a number of other chained laborers. Guards snapped whips next to their feet as the group threw their backs into pulling the cart. Making their way slowly but steadily, they trudged deep into the forest along a well-worn trail, made level by countless cart trips back and forth from the marble quarry to the wall and back again. Heading to a road that lead alongside the wall, the cart was led to where the wall ended. More laborers began to unload the cart near the end of the wall, piling the stone pieces to be mortared stone by stone into the twenty foot tall structure by a few crafted stone masons.

 

Nearly halfway around the entire compound, the wall was lit every ten feet or so with a flaming brazier, giving light so that the laborers could build at night. Guards carried whips, rifles and swords as well as the occasional spear to keep the stone masons working while the heavy laborers cut out and brought marble pieces from a quarry a few miles away for the new wall.

 

Rubbing an aching shoulder, Arron turned and walked over to a line leading from a barrel. Waiting as others dipped a battered cup into it, the cup was either quickly drained of water or poured over the head by the person using it before the person moved back to the cart to take up the rope for the journey back to the quarry. Drinking half of the cup, Arron poured the rest over a dark, shaggy head of hair. The temperate liquid made its way down sweaty skin, rinsing away some of the grime as Arron headed back to the cart to pick up a rope.

 

The return trip was easier as always, and the other laborers used it as time to take it relatively easy as a few sleepy guards strode alongside them.

 

Returning to the quarry, Arron grunted as the heavy pick was once again taken up to be used to cut out another marble chunk. The entire process of cutting out a piece, placing it on the cart and pulling it along the trail was repeated until the edge of the sun made itself known to the guards. Many pairs of tired eyes turned to glance at the slowly rising sun before they trudged the last full load back to the Marine base.

 

Dropping the rope, Arron stretched and walked over to the building where the prisoners' shower was. Waiting in the first line the laborer came to, Arron grunted thanks when handed a bowl of soup and hard bread. Wolfing down the meal, Arron walked over to a second line, where towels and soap were being handed out. Sighing, the worker entered the shower building and stripped, tossing the dusty clothes in a barrel nearly full of dirty work clothes. Walking into the shower room and to a nozzle spraying luke-warm water, the night's stone dust and sweat was quickly washed away. Toweling off, Arron again grunted thanks to the laundry person that handed out clean work clothes to those that had finished washing.

 

Arron headed outside and stood off to one side, exhausted amethyst eyes glancing around for the huge guard that would accompany the laborer back to the cell for the day. Spying the huge guard, Arron couldn't prevent the slight smile that graced tired lips.

 

Leading the way down the spiral stairway, Arron temporarily forgot the muscular exhaustion, heavy boots rapidly echoing down into the cool darkness. Reaching the bottom first, the massive laborer and the even larger guard waited for a few moments before light footsteps made by high heels clicked their way towards the pair, accompanied by heavier ones. Arron's smile grew as Hayden came into view. The pair ran towards each other, hugged and then kissed briefly until the two guards simultaneously thumped their spears on the rock floor. The day shift was beginning as the night shift was ending.

 

“Love you always!” Hayden's bright voice called out as the maid and one guard began the climb up the long stairway.

 

“Love you always!” Arron repeated, a deep echo of the other before the worker was taken to the shared cell by the other guard and locked in. Arron sat on the bed, the other's bright smile still playing before exhausted amethyst eyes before the laborer laid down for a good day's sleep.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

The sky had the barest hint of light when Ketzie rose from the warm bed. Nami was sleeping on her back and Robin was facing the wall, both sound asleep she noted as she dressed in her clothes. They had been washed, repaired, folded and placed on the couch near the closet. Taking off the borrowed clothes, she placed them on the couch before picking up her shoes and carefully making her way out the door. Exhaling a held breath as she shut the door behind her, she didn't notice when both women waited for her quiet footsteps to fade away before turning to face each other.

 

“How did you know that she would sneak out?” Nami whispered.

 

“I remember how I was at that age,” the archeologist explained. “We just had to tell her to keep the fact that we were going to help her quiet. I only hope that she can do that no matter what they do to her.”  
  
“That's morbid Robin,” Nami said, burrowing deeper under the blankets.

 

Ketzie made her way to the side of the ship, not noticing that both Sanji and Zoro were watching her leave from the crow's nest. The green-haired man frowned as she quietly walked down the gangplank, only to use her Camo Camo no mi powers to completely disappear once she hit the sandy ground.  
  
“I still think that she should have been told to stay here where its safe instead of us just letting her go,” Zoro murmured as he put his back to the window and crossed his arms.

 

“And if she would have stayed, her parents might have been killed,” Sanji pointed out yet again.

 

Zoro grunted, sensing as the young girl made her way away from the Sunny and back between the trees.

 

“She's gone now,” he growled as he walked over to sit cross-legged on his futon.  
  
“And we set the plan into motion,” Sanji replied, blowing out a huge cloud of smoke before stubbing out his cigarette. The swordsman turned to look up at the chef. “Don't worry Marimo, she'll be back. She knows that the Sunny is a safe place.”

 

“I still don't like it,” Zoro grouched.

 

“How about I help you take your mind off of her for a bit?” Sanji purred as he walked over to the futon and joined him. Zoro glanced at the chef, blushed and looked at his hands as they rested in his lap when he realized the expression the handsome blond wore.

 

“Uh, c...Cook...” the swordsman began.

 

Sanji leaned in for a smoking hot kiss that temporarily erased all thoughts of worry for the girl out of Zoro's mind. Closing his eye, he could taste the last cigarette along with the chef's own unique taste on his tongue, a flavor mix that he was rapidly becoming addicted to. Raising his arms, he tentatively placed them on Sanji's shoulders and pulled him in closer. The swordsman groaned low when he felt him leave his mouth, only to gasp as his chin was kissed then nibbled. Unconsciously, he lifted his chin, making it easier for the blond to continue down, his arms sliding off of Sanji's shoulders to end up on his waist instead.

 

Zoro felt soft lips gently kiss underneath his chin, then continue down his neck and nuzzle his Adam's Apple before giving the skin covering his jugular a lick. He moaned softly at the cooling breath on the spot before Sanji bit and began to suck the area. The swordsman gasped, not expecting the bite but melted into it as Sanji's lips and tongue sucked the spot. The sensation of the blond's teeth and tongue on the most vulnerable part of his throat sent a fiery shock straight to his groin, causing his cock to respond.

 

Not caring that he would undoubtedly have a bruise on his throat after they was done, Zoro leaned his head back further in order to encourage Sanji to continue. Feeling thin yet strong arms around him, the swordsman moaned low as the chef continued to suck and bite. Feeling the chef's hand as it made its way down his chest, he moaned in disappointment when the hand stopped at his haramaki.

 

“You okay Marimo?” Sanji asked in a soft voice.

 

“Uh....yeah,” Zoro whispered back. “It...felt really...nice.”

 

“I know,” Sanji purred, his mouth now close to the green-haired man's ear. “I can do more than that...if you let me.”

 

“...okay,” Zoro replied breathily.

 

Sanji purred again, knowing damned well that he had temporarily made the swordsman forget about Ketzie. He gazed into Zoro's lust-darkened eye, his own ocean-blue one clouded with want before he leaned in to once again kiss the green-haired man, his fingers now lightly dancing on Zoro's groin.

 

Zoro deepened the kiss as he felt the fingers move from his groin to the top of his pants. He closed his eye once more when Sanji unfastened them and stroked the outside, causing his cock to jump in anticipation. When the chef's slender hand made its way into his pants to touch the outside of his underwear, Zoro's breath hitched.

 

“Its okay Marimo,” Sanji murmured into his ear before he reached inside. Zoro groaned as cool fingers wrapped around his shaft and began to move the foreskin up before the hand stopped.

 

“...Marimo?” Sanji asked, surprised as he looked down at his boyfriend's hard dick as it stood out from a nest of curly green pubic hair. “You have a... _piercing_?”

 

Zoro's face turned bright red as he looked into his lap. “Its...uh...called an apadravya.

 

“It looked like it hurt,” Sanji replied, touching the gold barbel. He smiled mischievously as he examined it.

 

“So you really _are_ into pain, ne mosshead?” Sanji said, chuckling.

 

Zoro shrugged again. “...Maybe.”

 

Bending his flexible body down to examine the thick gold barbell a bit closer, Sanji whistled lowly. “It looks like it goes all the way through. How do you piss?”

 

“Its a bit off-center so I can still stand to piss,” Zoro explained, panting as his still-hard cock was handled by the inquisitive blond.

 

“Why did you get it?” the blond asked as he sat back up, a curled eyebrow raised.

 

Zoro shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I liked how it looked,”

 

“You saw someone else with one?” Sanji asked, surprised.  
  
“Yeah, Johnny has one. He said that it feels good when he...uh...jerks off, and his lover likes how it feels.”

 

“You mean Yosaku,” Sanji said, smirking.  
  
“I never said that!” Zoro fumed at him. “Its not my place to say what kind of relationship Johnny has with Yosaku, or anyone else!” He gazed down at himself and sighed. “Cook, if you want to stop, its okay.”

 

“I never said I was going to stop,” Sanji said coquettishly as he once again began to stroke Zoro's still hard cock. “The piercing just surprised me, that's all.”

 

“Oh....” Zoro said, his sentence turning into a low moan.

 

Sanji looked down again at the gold against the paler tan skin and his mouth began to water. Memories of past girlfriends giving him oral momentarily flashed through his mind. He remembered the pleasure he had felt, which caused him to shiver while he contemplated if he should go through with his next idea.

 

 _Strange. I've never felt this way before,_ he thought to himself. _Why do I feel this way now?_ _Is it because its the_ Marimo _?_

 

Mentally shrugging, Sanji decided to just go with the flow.

 

“It looks very nice, the gold against your skin. I just have to...taste....,” the blond murmured more to himself as he leaned down once more, this time to slowly lick the head while his hand began once more to stroke Zoro's foreskin up and down, causing the swordsman to gasp and shudder once more.

 

Sitting back up, Sanji stared into Zoro's lust-blown eye.  
  
“No matter what I do, you are _not_ to move your hips, do you understand me, Marimo? I don't want to end up injured due to your affinity to piercings,” Sanji warned, adding a twist to his wrist as he stroked.

 

“Uh...uh...” Unable to talk, the swordsman nodded.

 

“Good, my little swordsman,” Sanji crooned into Zoro's right ear, licking his earlobe before bending his flexible body over and taking the head of Zoro's dick fully into his mouth. Zoro's eye bulged as the cook's hot, wet mouth engulfed the head of his cock and began to suck.

 

It was a fight for the swordsman to not move his hips, despite his instincts telling him to go deeper as Sanji sucked and stroked. Giving up, he decided to focus on what the chef was doing to him instead. Sanji's mouth and hand felt better than anything he had done to himself so far. The idea of someone else other than his piercer touching him in this most intimate way made Zoro's mind go blank, losing himself in the sensations. He leaned back onto his elbows in order to grab handholds in the blanket they were sitting on so that he could clench and un-clench his hands instead of placing them on Sanji's head and push the hot mouth further down onto his manhood.

 

Sanji's hand moved up and down the rigid shaft in time with sweeps of his tongue and mouth on Zoro's engorged head and now-heated piercing. He stuck his tongue into the slit and tasted the precum that began to leak out, finding the salty fluid a tad bitter but not too bad. He reached for Zoro's balls with his free hand, gently rolling them around as his other hand began to stroke faster.

 

Zoro jumped slightly as his balls were cupped, but he soon began a low rumbling as the slender fingers rolled them around. Discovering even more wondrous new sensations, he let his head fall back and panted out of his mouth, the waves of orgasm rapidly approaching.  
  
“C...Cook...I'm...” he warned, calloused hands clenching the blanket tighter as his eye squeezed shut.

 

Sanji knew that Zoro was close when his balls began to draw close to the green curls. The blond smirked as he added in the final trick. Inhaling deep through his nose, Sanji began to hum, the vibrations going straight from his mouth to Zoro's cock and balls.  
  
It was all the swordsman could take. He came hard, hot spunk coating the inside of his boyfriend's mouth.

 

Sanji was able to swallow the first splash of Zoro's cum, but found himself unable to keep up with the rapid pulses of hot fluid. He coughed and sputtered, pulling away as he tried to catch his breath, saliva and Zoro's cum dripping from his mouth and down his chin.

 

“Y...you...okay Cook?” Zoro gasped, concern warring with pleasure as he watched the chef.

 

Blushing, Sanji nodded as he coughed a few more times before inhaling deep and holding it for a few seconds, then slowly exhaling. He wiped at his mouth with his jacket sleeve, then turned his head towards the swordsman.

 

“The question _should_ be, “are _you_ okay, Marimo?” he replied, winking.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Ketzie _did_ try to remember the way that the two Mugiwara had led her to the pirate ship, but try as she might, things did not look the same in the early dawn light. Gazing through the trees, she attempted to get her bearings as the sun's rays finally filtered through the multicolored leaves, but it did no good.

 

She was lost.

 

Ketzie peered around before trotting through the forest in the direction she thought they had taken the day before, but only managed to find an old game trail. She followed it until the sound of water reached her ears. Following the sound, she found herself at a small creek, a terrified frog jumping diagonally out of her way as she stumbled onto the pebbled bank. Stooping, she gazed at herself in the crystal clear pool of water, sighing before dipping her hand in to drink. Leaves and small twigs had once again entangled in her long wavy hair and her cheek was dirty where she had rubbed it after she had tripped and fallen.

 

“You look lost, Ketzie. Need me to help you find Ochre Village?” a small voice chirped behind her.

 

“EEP!” she cried out before she lost her balance and fell face first into the pool.  
  
“OH!” the voice said, as it moved closer. “I didn't mean to scare you!” Chopper cried out as he dropped the bundles of medicinal plants onto the ground in order to help the sputtering girl.

 

Her face and upper body wet from the watery faceplant, Ketzie wiped her face on her shirt. “I really miss the nightly hot water baths Mom and I used to take,” she said wistfully as she twisted water out of her hair. “I miss being clean. I'm dirty already, and its barely morning.”

 

Picking leaves out of her long hair, Chopper nodded. “I think hot baths are fun too. I usually bathe with Nami and Robin,” he said in a low voice. Pulling a twig out of Ketzie's hair, he patted her on the shoulder.

 

“Do you want me to lead you back to the village?” he asked again.

 

“How?” Ketzie asked. She took off her borrowed shirt and wrung it out.

 

“With this,” the little doctor replied, tapping at his nose. “I'm a reindeer. I can find nearly anything with it.”

 

“Oh,” Ketzie said, having momentarily forgotten that fact. Replacing her shirt and pulling it back down to cover her newly-budding body, it went nearly to her knees once more. “I think I'm going to take you up on that.”  
  
“Okay!” Chopper said, smiling kindly at the young beauty. He moved back to the medicinal plants and put them into the bag at his side. “But I think I'll have to leave you once we get close. I can't risk being found. I'm a pirate, you know.”  
  
Ketzie smiled and nodded. “Okay. It'll be nice to have someone to talk to while we walk.”

Reaching into his bag once again, Chopper pulled out a napkin-wrapped item. “Sanji made these for you,” he explained, handing it to the girl. Eyes wide as she accepted the still-warm package, Ketzie unwrapped it to find three pancakes rolled around scrambled eggs, the sweet scent of maple syrup wafting up to her nostrils. Taking a bite, into the fluffy concoction, she closed her eyes in pure joy as she chewed, only to see Chopper's grin as he held up a bottle of juice towards her as well.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“This is the closest I can come to Ochre Village. If you follow this game trail to that red tree over there, it'll be right by the road,” Chopper said, pointing with one hoof.

 

“Thank you so much Chopper, you've been a huge help!” Ketzie replied as she gave him an absolutely gorgeous smile.

 

“It was nothing, you bastard!” he chirped happily, his arms waving to one side. The girl's smile fell for a moment before she noticed that the doctor was grinning and the insides of his ears were a brilliant red. She smiled once again as she patted him on the hat.

 

“Wish me luck,” she said as she turned and began to walk away.

 

Remembering what the young girl was about to face what would undoubtedly be one pissed-off base captain and possibly anyone else directly involved, Chopper's expression fell as she walked rapidly away.

 

“Good luck Ketzie-chan!” he shouted. She held her hand up and waved as she stepped onto the road.

 

Chopper waited until she was nearly out of sight before adding in a low voice, “you're more than likely going to need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:  
> Tangerine-scented body wash exists. Mine is actually “Iced Tangerine Mojito.” (^_^) Not quite sure what “mojito” is though. 
> 
> Also:  
> Be advised, the pics on these sites are rather graphic!
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apadravya
> 
> The apadravya, like the ampallang, is a piercing that passes through the glans. While the ampallang passes horizontally through the glans, the apadravya passes vertically through the glans from top to bottom, almost always placed centrally and passing through the urethra. Off-center apadravyas are also possible, wherein the piercing is deliberately offset, yet usually still passes through the urethra. The piercing is often done on a slightly forward angle to the hips. 
> 
>  
> 
> Zoro is uncut, so his apadravya piercing looks similar to this:  
> http://wiki.bme.com/index.php?title=File:Apadravya-3.jpg
> 
> More pics:
> 
> http://www.piercingbible.com/male-genital-piercings#Apadravya%20Piercing  
> http://wiki.bme.com/index.php?title=Apadravya


	5. Lessons to be Taught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are those that need to be taught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, my muse lets things flow and I find myself writing so much so fast that I end up editing out a buttload of typos. 
> 
> And then sometimes I'm forced to fight my muse, punching, kicking and yelling at the top of my lungs in order to get an idea down the way it needs to be. Franky and Usopp's second section gave me so much trouble I actually had to take a little ~~mental health~~ writing break, I was stressing so much over it. Stupid fucking muse.  >: /
> 
> Thanks once again to Eiri, my worst critic and best beta.
> 
> Happy birthday Usopp!

 

Ketzie dragged her feet as she walked towards the Marine base. Men and women in uniform paused in their various jobs to look at the young girl as she slowly made her way towards the building in which they knew was where Base Commander Ikehara's office was located.

 

She felt as if she was heading to the gallows.

 

Ketzie was determined to ensure that _that_ wouldn't happen to her parents.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“So you got away? And didn't grab the den den mushi?” Captain Ikehara said, repeating what the dark-skinned girl had told him. “Yet, you can't find the cove they are hiding in? Then how did you manage to get back to Ochre Village?”

 

“I...I don't know,” Ketzie said, hanging her head. “I stumbled around the forest once I got away, and somehow found a road that led me to the village.” She twisted the bottom of her now-relatively clean shirt as she stared at her feet. “I don't think that they figured that I would get away. They only had one person guarding me, and when she fell asleep, I slipped out.

 

“I see,” Ikehara said, frowning when the door opened behind him. Hayden walked into the office carrying a silver breakfast tray. Ketzie looked up, her amethyst eyes going wide when the maid's gentle hazel eyes met hers.

 

Not daring to otherwise react, Hayden set down the tray onto a side table. Ketzie said nothing, only hung her head once more while the maid placed the still hot dishes on the table.

 

Ikehara watched the interactions between the two, then licked his lips before smiling coldly.  
  
“Ketzie...I think I will punish you for losing the den den mushi by taking away your weekly meetings with your parents until it is found,” he crooned wickedly.

 

“NO!” she cried, feeling tears spring to her eyes. “What do you need me to do?”

 

“Return to the Mugiwara ship, get me more information...and bring back the den den mushi of course,” he replied, his tone sugary sweet. One hand caressed a golden pistol handle as he leaned towards the young girl.

 

“If you don't co-operate, not only will this be your only meeting with either of your parents this month, it will be the _last_ meeting. Do you understand?” he said in the same sickeningly sweet voice.

 

Ketzie could only swallow and nod her answer as a tear slid its way down her cheek.

 

Hayden said nothing, instead placing the lid on the tray and walking out of the office, not daring to look at the tearful little girl.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

In a daze and unsure whether or not Captain Ikehara was going to have her miss the weekly meetings with her parents, Ketzie somehow found her way back to the home the three of them used to share.

 

Retrieving the key from under the rock where it was carefully hidden, she unlocked the door and returned it to its hiding place. Going inside, she made a circuit of the small house, ensuring that it remained exactly the way it was before their lives were so rudely interrupted. She pulled up an errant weed that had somehow found its way inside the living room wall and continued her inspection.

 

Dusting the dishes that still sat on the table, she remembered how they were just about to sit down to dinner when the Marines burst in. The broken plate that she was supposed to set at her mother's place at the table was still on the floor, its shards now coated with dust. The food in the pots and pans had long ago rotted and she had reluctantly thrown them out, only to replace the cooking utensils close to their original positions.

 

The rest of the house was immaculate.

 

Heading over to the bedroll she had in front of the fireplace, she picked up the only exception to her leaving things exactly as they were on “that day.” The plushie bunny that her mother had made for her before she was born was misshapen from all the hugging and stained from tears and snot since her mother's arrest, but it was still her most precious item.

 

“Don't worry George, we have people helping us now,” she told the plushie as she laid down and covered the two of them up with her blanket.

 

“We'll all be together again soon, I just know it!”

 

Back at the Marine base, Captain Ikehara nodded to himself as the small surveillance den den mushi that he had installed months ago finally showed him something of interest.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

With surgical precision, Sanji sliced the defrosted sea king meat into steaks and placed them on the grill. Adding just the right amount of salt, he quickly eyeballed the miso soup just as Zoro let out an unusually loud snore. The blond glanced at the napping swordsman on the couch and smiled to himself, turning his head towards the kitchen door when he heard it open.

 

“I did it! I led Ketzie back to the village!” a familiar high-pitched voice chirped happily. Chopper climbed on a chair and emptied his full bag of medicinal herbs onto the table.

The little reindeer grinned his “thank you” at Sanji when the blond walked over with a large bowl full of clean water. Chopper began to clean the herbs.

 

“Good. Now we know that she made it back to the village safely,” Sanji replied, moving back to the grill. He began to flip over the fish, throwing a quick glance at the seemingly dozing swordsman. “Didjya hear that, seaweed-brain? Chopper led Ketzie safely back to Ochre Village.”

 

“I heard him,” Zoro grumbled, stretching. Sitting up, he scratched absently at his ribs, then got up off the couch and moved over to where Chopper was sitting. Taking a seat to the right of the little doctor, he watched as the medicinal herbs were quickly cleaned and placed aside.

 

“Breakfast will be ready soon Chopper,” Sanji warned.  
  
“I'm almost finished,” he replied.

 

Robin walked sedately into the kitchen, followed by a yawning Nami.

 

“Robin was right, Ketzie snuck off the ship last night,” Nami said, going over to sit on the other side of Zoro while Robin sat at one end of the table. Sanji danced over and placed a cup of coffee front of Robin. The dark-haired woman smiled up at the cook.

 

Moving back to the counter for the girls' breakfasts, Sanji wasn't sure if the smile was for Nami's comment or for the coffee.

 

“I know! I led her back to Ochre Village, just like we planned!” Chopper said excitedly, washing another herb.

 

“MEAT! I SMELL MEAT! Sanji, can I have some, I'm _starving!_ ” Luffy cried as he burst into the room and leaped into a seat at the free end of the table, followed by the remainder of the crew.

 

“Ketzie left early this morning,” Zoro rumbled, informing everyone.

 

“Oh. Okay,” the captain replied, suddenly serious. “Then we should start the rescue plan... _after_ breakfast!”

 

Nami conked Luffy on the head.

 

“That was SO selfish Luffy! How could you be so cruel?”

 

Rubbing his head, the teen sheepishly looked at the redhead.

 

“I can't fight if I'm hungry!” Luffy remarked, pouting.

 

“True that, Nami-sis. Ya know that Luffy-bro's practically useless if he's hungry,” Franky pointed out as he sat down across from Chopper.

 

“OI!” Luffy exclaimed, his pout turning into a smile of joy as Sanji placed a heaping breakfast plate in front of the raven-haired man. Luffy fell onto the plate as if he was starving.

 

“It _would_ be terrible if Captain-san passed out in the middle of battle,” Robin added, sipping her coffee.

 

“Battle? Are we going to fight today?” Zoro asked, smirking evilly. “I could go for a good fight!”

 

“Not me! I want to go explore the village a bit more _before_ we start fighting!” Usopp declared as he sat down across from Nami while Brook took the remaining seat across from Zoro.

 

“Well, the first part of the plan went off without a hitch. Ketzie left like we expected and Chopper lead her into Ochre village this morning,” Sanji explained.

 

“She won't be able to find us once we move to the new hiding place. I hope that she doesn't get eaten by some wild animal looking for us,” Robin said, sipping at her coffee.

 

“So morbid, Robin!” Usopp cried, horrified.

 

During the crew's conversation, Chopper continued rinsing the medicinal herbs. He rose from his chair, picked up his medicine bag and took it over to the couch and then headed to the kitchen to pick up a towel. He carefully spread it on a clear space Sanji had thoughtfully left on the end of the counter before going back for the herbs. He gathered them up and spread them on the towel and then rejoined the others at the breakfast table.

 

As he headed back to his seat, the little doctor couldn't help but notice the purple mark on the left side of Zoro's throat.

 

“ZORO! You have a bruise on your neck! Its right on your carotid artery too! How did you get it? Let me get some ice for it!” he cried, running for the refrigerator.

 

Both Nami and Usopp managed to see the bruise just before Zoro's lightening-quick reflexes hid it from view.

 

“Oh. My. _GAWD!_ Zoro has a _HICKEY!_ ” Nami squealed, grinning while ignoring Zoro's scowl.

 

Looking as if someone kicked his puppy, Usopp wore an expression somewhere between stunned and pained.

 

“Really? Can I see it?” Luffy asked, snaking his head. Zoro blushed slightly and frowned even more.

 

“No.”

 

“Aw c'mon! I've never seen one before!” Luffy whined as Chopper returned with ice wrapped in a damp towel.

 

“No,” Zoro repeated, waving his free hand at the reindeer. “I don't need that Chopper. I'm not injured.”

 

“Of _course_ you're injured! Its a _bruise!_ On your _throat!_ ” Chopper insisted.

 

“Its not an injury Chopper. Its something that humans often do when intimate,” Robin explained, smiling as Zoro face went from pink to red. “It goes by many names. Hickey, love bite, sucker bite, owner's mark, and of course, my personal favorite. Vampire bite.” she finished, her smile turning wicked as she said the last term.

 

Zoro's blush went from red to redder.

 

Usopp sputtered into his juice.

 

“Okay, now I'm really scared,” Franky quipped, sipping his cola.

 

“I'd like to have one on my jugular,” Brook began. “But of course, I don't have a jugular....”

 

“C'mon Zoro, just a peek? I won't laugh or anything! Promise!” Luffy whined as he tried to talk Zoro into lifting his hand. Zoro scowled further at the younger man.

 

“No.”

 

“I guess its official,” Usopp said in a small voice. “Zoro and Sanji are...are....”

 

“Zoro and Sanji are _what_ , Usopp?” Sanji growled dangerously, as he bent to glare at the sniper.

 

Usopp wasn't sure if the rising steam came from the breakfast plate or from Sanji's head.

 

All conversation stopped and everyone turned to watch the pair.

 

“Smoochin', makin' out, gettin' ta first base, snoggin'....” Franky offered, grinning impishly.

 

Half of the Mugiwara sitting at the table burst out laughing.

 

Usopp frowned at the cyborg.

 

Sanji stood back upright and lit his cigarette, inhaling deeply.

 

“I don't get it,” Chopper said, retaking his seat.

 

“I don't either,” Luffy reiterated, his neck snapping back into place. He stabbed the sea king steak with his fork and shoved it whole into his mouth.

 

“Of course, as dark as that hickey is, they could have gotten farther than first base,” Nami added, mirroring Franky's grin.

 

Zoro got up and exited the kitchen.

 

Sanji blew out a cloud of smoke and watched the swordsman leave, his expression unreadable.

 

“What just happened?” Luffy asked, swallowing his food. “Is Zoro mad at me?”  
  
“He's angry, Captain-san, but not at you,” Robin answered thoughtfully.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Zoro concentrated as he looked at himself in the infirmary's tiny mirror. Carefully, he placed the large bandaid onto the mark on his throat and ran his finger along it to ensure that the tape wouldn't be coming up anytime soon. Frowning, he gazed at the figure behind him.

 

“Is there anything else you want to embarrass me with, Cook?” he growled.

 

“You skipped breakfast,” Sanji countered as he shifted the tray he was carrying. “You need to eat.”

 

“I'm not hungry,” Zoro muttered.

 

Sanji placed the tray on Chopper's desk. “Fine. Then sit here and pretend to eat.”

 

Zoro's stomach chose that time to rumble loudly.

 

“If you say anything, Cook...” Zoro began.

  
  
“I'm not saying anything, shitty swordsman,” Sanji replied casually, taking a seat on the bed. Pulling out a cigarette, he placed it into his mouth while leaning crosswise onto the bed, his back against the wall.

 

“Hn. I don't think that Chopper would like his infirmary smelling like smoke,” he said absently as he leaned crosswise onto the bed, his back against the wall.

 

Taking a seat at the desk, Zoro grunted his agreement. Lifting the lid off of the tray, he started eating.

 

“You can't let everything the crew says about us get to you, Zoro,” Sanji commented. “If you do, then this...this....”

 

“Dating thing?” the swordsman offered through a mouthful of food.

  
  
Sanji shrugged, rolling the unlit cigarette in his mouth. “Fine. Dating thing...won't ever get to where you want it to be. Where do you want it to be anyway?” he asked, curious.

 

“Idunno. I haven't thought much about where its goin'. 'M just lettin' it go.”

 

“Oh,” Sanji said as he placed his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling.

 

“Well, you DO want to eventually have sex...right?” he asked, gazing at Zoro.

 

Zoro choked on his mouthful of food.

 

Rapidly getting up off the bed, Sanji patted the swordsman hard on the back.

 

“Yannow, you can't have these kinda reactions every time someone says something sex-related, right? Or all Mihawk would have to say is something like _blowjob_ to win the next time you challenge him.”

 

Swallowing his mouthful, Zoro frowned as he glared up at the cook.

 

“I'll be fine. I'm...training, that's all,” he growled.

 

“Training to be able to talk about sex without blushing, plant-head? Is this gonna become part of your exercise routine?” Sanji asked, smirking. “If so, I can help you with that.”

 

Blushing, Zoro growled again before staring at his half-eaten meal.

 

“I'm going to have to learn all of this eventually, right? So start teaching me, ero-cook. Teach me about sex.”

 

“Wha...wha...what? Its not that simple!” Sanji cried. “You can't just jump into sex! Well you could, but it might not be enjoyable unless done right...hmmm....” he mused thoughtfully.

 

“...Okay Marimo. But remember, you _asked_ for it.”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Hurry up everyone, we have to catch low tide!” Nami shouted, watching the rest of the crew scramble on the deck and rigging of the Thousand Sunny. Franky grinned as he expertly guided the brig sloop into the mouth of the cavern.

 

Time and tide had worn through a thin section of the island's cliff side, exposing a sea cavern. Nami's cruise of the shoreline on the Shiro Mokuba I had discovered the cavern, and after further examination, the expert navigator had surmised that not only was it was easily large enough to hide the Sunny, but that the cave's entrance meant that it was only accessible during low tide, providing a refuge for the Thousand Sunny to safely hide from the local marines. The cyborg was very please that his precious ship would have a better hiding place, even if it meant they had to wait a couple of nights until the dark of the moon.

 

Usopp made it his duty to point out that if they hadn't found the cave, they either would have had to move to a different cove and then walk for days to get to Ochre Village's expansive marketplace, or have to worry about being discovered by the Marines that worked at the island's base. The crew, except for Luffy got so sick of Usopp's whining and worrying that they threw him overboard. Twice. He didn't relax until the ship had docked in the cavern.

 

After a thorough exploration of the cavern, the crew found archaic-styled torch holders placed strategically on the walls, which they were all too happy to fill with new torches. Along one wall ran a set of crudely-cut stairs that spiraled upwards to the top of the cliff. It was obvious that the Mugiwara were not the first ones to have used the cave as a hideaway. 

 

At the top of the cliff, tall ferns, bushes and trees hid the cave's opening. A few steps from the entrance lay a rock-covered grave, a large rock making up the headstone carved with the name “Tilsen,” along with a spectacled skull and crossbones.

 

After seeing the grave, Luffy promptly christened the cavern “Tilsen Cavern,” in honor of the fallen pirate.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Come ON Usopp, tha Sunny's not gonna fix herself!” Franky's voice bellowed, echoing loudly in the cavern.

 

“Maybe I should invent a Thousand Sunny self-repairing machine so I can go into town and have some fun,” the sniper muttered to himself as he climbed down the rope ladder. He pouted, only slightly mollified by Robin agreeing to watch the Sunny once they were finished with repairs.

 

Balancing himself carefully, he took a seat on the platform next to Sunny's left paw. The ship's paws acted as anchors, but during the last storm, the heavy rope had frayed at a weak point and the anchor was nearly lost to the sea.

 

The easier repairs caused by the storm were already taken care of, thus this was the last item on the repair list. Unfortunately for the sniper, it was a two-person job.

 

Taking the end of the new rope, Usopp nearly fell off the platform when the den den mushi in his pants pocket began to ring.

 

“FRANKY!” Usopp shouted, his voice echoing.

 

“WHAT?” the cyborg shouted back. “Did ya fall?”

 

“No! K-K-Ketzie's den den mushi is ringing! What s-s-should I d-d-d-doooo?” the long-nosed sniper managed to stammer out while taking the small creature from his pocket. The miniature creature had a frown on its mustached face, reflecting the current expression of the caller.

 

“Answer it, Nose-bro!” the cyborg shouted back.

 

“I c-c-c-can't! I have I'm-afraid-of-Marine-Captain-Ikehara disease! If I hear his voice, I'll die!”

 

“How do ya know its him?” Franky asked. “You don' even know wha' his voice sounds like!”

 

“That's true,” Usopp mused while the den den mushi continued to ring, the frown under the snail's previously comical zig-zag mustache deepening. With more confidence than he felt, he picked up the receiver, careful to not let his voice cause any echoing in the salty air.

 

“Moshi moshi...?” Usopp whispered. “I found this den den moshi and...”

 

“Who are you? Tell me your name!” the deep voice at the other end commanded.

 

“EEP!” Usopp shrieked, nearly dropping the small creature. Fumbling, he managed to catch it and put the receiver back to his ear.

 

“W-W-Why do you want to know?” the sniper asked.

 

“Because, if this phone isn't returned to the marine base, I might have to execute a young girl's mother. Do you want the death of a girl's mother on your hands?” the voice on the other end replied.

 

“N-N-No. But how do I know that this isn't some kind of prank?” Usopp asked, he challenged in spite of himself.

 

“Is that really a chance that you want to take? If the girl's mother dies, its her blood on your hands.” the voice said cruelly.

 

Usopp had nothing to say to that.

 

“O-okay. Where do you want me to leave it.?”

 

“Come to the marine base's front gate and ask for Captain Ikehara. The guard will bring you to me,” the voice growled impatiently before hanging up.

 

“Looks like I'll get into town this time around after all,” Usopp muttered.

 

“Was it tha' Ikehara-dude, Nose-bro?” Franky called over the side of the ship. Taking in the sniper's pallor of the man's usually light brown skin, he huffed.

 

“Looks like Ikehara threw a bit o' a monkey wrench inna our plans,” Franky commented dryly.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Usopp worriedly gazed up at the imposing tan marble walls of Marine Base Ochre. He wrapped the deep blue scarf tighter so that only his eyes and long nose were visible before adjusting one end to make sure that the lighter blue fringe hung across his chest, similar to how the locals wore theirs. Wagon and pedestrian traffic grew heavy, forming themselves into a line as they approached the front gate.

 

Having taken an old animal trail that Chopper had found when they walked into town earlier that day, all of the Mugiwara had missed the busy main road...a fact that somewhat relieved the normally nervous Usopp. He preferred knowing that there was more than one way to leave and return to the Sunny if they needed to leave in a hurry, a way that hopefully the Marines didn't know about.

 

Usopp patted Kuro Kabuto at his side, then shifted his ammunition pouch hanging at his waist, happy that he had made sure to pack it full prior to leaving the Sunny.

 

“A...are you s...s...sure that only my eyes are showing, Franky?” he asked the disguised cyborg.

 

Franky walked next to the sniper wearing a yellow and white head scarf, his maroon speedos clashing dreadfully against the orange and green flower pattern spewed across the purple shirt he wore.

 

Many of the people in line waiting to enter the marine base on official business also wore headscarves to block the brilliant, non-seasonal sun, a few of them also shading their eyes to block out the walking fashion disaster ahead of them.

 

“Only ya eyes are showin'. Promise!” Franky patted Usopp's shoulder. “I'm sure ya can handle this, I believe in ya!” The taller man gushed.

 

“S...sure you do Franky. You're n...not the one that has to meet that sc...sc...scary Ikehara!” Usopp squeaked.

 

“You'll be _fine_ Nose-bro. Quit worrin' so much!” Franky grinned. Usopp startled as the horse-drawn wagon in front of them rolled forward. The only thing between the Mugiwara and the front gate was three people on foot followed by a horse-drawn wagon.

 

“You know them Mugiwara ain't gonna just walk through th' front gate, right Bastil?” a short, squat marine insisted loudly to his tall, redheaded partner. The short man lifted the gate arm and waved the three people through.

 

Waiting in line behind the wagon, Usopp felt a drop of sweat trickle down his back.

 

“Yeah, I know, but it would be kinda fun if they did, Yardley. I could go for a good fight right about now!” Bastil crowed, lacing his fingers together and cracking his knuckles. Both guards seemed to be around Usopp's age.

 

“State your name and business,” Yardley said in a monotone, hiding a yawn.

 

“Fumis and my son Lestir with cabbages for the base's kitchen,” the equally bored man grunted back. Lestir shifted on the seat next to his father and let out a loud fart.

 

“Carry on,” Yardley said as he raised the gate arm, watching indifferently while the wagon made its way.

 

“I...I can't do this!” Usopp whispered to Franky. The cyborg grabbed Usopp by his arm and walked forward.

 

“Granky and Mesopp ta see Captain Ikehara,” Franky said, internally proud of the fake names as he let Usopp's arm go.

 

Yardley came to attention at the mention of his Captain's name.

 

Bastil squinted at them, shifting his rifle. “And why do you need to see the Base Captain?”

 

“H...he told us to come to him for a meeting,” Usopp answered, standing tall. Mentally steeling himself, he continued. “We have important business of a private nature with him.”

 

Walking a little bit away, Bastil brought out a den den mushi and spoke rapidly into it. Both Usopp and Franky waited while Yardley continued to stand at attention, only his eyes moving as he gazed at the pair. Franky smiled in return as Usopp looked haughtily down his nose, frowning at the guard.

 

Bastil walked back to the gate and gestured at Usopp and Franky. “Sirs, come with me please.”

 

Usopp nodded as Yardley lifted the gate to let the pair into the courtyard, the marble walls towering over him. His sharp eyes noticed that the walls were only partially finished. Perpendicular to the main road and off to the right was a wagon trail bustling with wagon and foot traffic heading to and from what appeared to be the kitchen and warehouses.

 

Bastil lead the pair down a well-trod path to a building and through a door into an empty room where both Usopp and Franky were checked for weapons. Franky's bulk seemed to confuse the elderly marine inspecting him, but other than running his hands over the steel making up the cyborg, he did little else.

 

Seeing the small black slingshot, the elderly marine raised an eyebrow at Usopp.

 

“That's a kid's weapon. Do you hunt small game with it?” the guard asked.

 

Usopp shrugged, placing it inside of his bag. “I've been known to hit small animals that end up as dinner,” he replied. Franky nodded in agreement.

 

The guard sniffed wryly at the teen and shrugged. “Just don't aim it at any of us. I'm sure none of us want to end up as your dinner,” he said, cackling as Bastil lead them away.

 

“I don't think that even Luffy would eat meat as old and tough as him,” the sniper retorted low enough for only Franky to hear. The cyborg chuckled.

 

Passing a nearby field, Usopp stopped to watch a group of marines do hand to hand combat in the center while a second group, sweaty and panting, finished running laps, then stopped and began to do jumping jacks. A marine officer scowled at the second group.

 

“Faster you lugs! My grandmother can do better than that and she's been dead for ten years!” he shouted angrily.

 

“Whoa. That's intense! I don't think I could do that,” the long-nosed sniper yipped as Bastil and Franky also stopped to watch.

 

“Those new recruits will get used to it. We all do,” Bastil explained. “It'll help them get into shape and be better able to fight,” he added, leading the pair to a four story building.

 

As the three men approached the building, a stunningly beautiful maid carrying a silver tray full of dishes ran out of the door and down the stairs, nearly bumped into them.

 

“I'm SO sorry! Sorry!” the trio heard when the maid rushed away, all three pairs of eyes following.

 

“OW! That's one _beau_ _'_ _iful_ woman!” Franky exclaimed as Usopp frowned thoughtfully.

 

“Sorry about that. Hayden is Captain Ikehara's personal maid. She must have done something really wrong to react like that.”

 

“I see,” Usopp replied, as his frown deepened.

 

Bastil lead the pair up the stairs and down a hall to a closed door.

 

A tan marble sign embellished with gold hung outside the door proclaiming 'Base Captain Osamu Ikehara' in gold letters. Usopp felt his knees begin to shake.

 

“We're jus' returnin' some lost property, right Mesopp?” Franky reminded the terrified man.

 

“Right,” Usopp replied, gulping and standing as Bastil knocked on the door.

 

“Captain Ikehara sir? This man said that he had a meeting scheduled with you, the marine said.

 

“Come in,” called the gruff voice Usopp recognized from the den den mushi.

 

Hearing the bottled-up anger in that voice, Usopp felt as if he was about to faint. Franky clasped his hand on the sniper's shoulder and gently guided him in through the door that Bastil was now holding open. The sniper gulped when the door clicked shut behind them.

 

The pair walked into a room that spoke of opulence. Rich, highly polished dark wood made up the walls and floor, the latter covered with expensive-looking rugs. The leather-bound books that sat on the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that made up one wall had gold and silver titles etched on their spines. A finely-crafted cherry wood desk and matching chair with dark red leather cushions sat in front of the huge window, overlooking the practice field below.

 

In front of the chair stood a thin, middle-aged man, barely five feet tall, using a towel to dab at coffee currently staining the front of his white captain's uniform. A bald head that gleamed like a pale billiard ball, Ikehara's watery blue eyes momentarily glanced at the newcomers before he angrily threw the damp towel onto the hardwood floor. A foot-long, zig-zagged black mustache moved in frustration under his nose as if it was a separate living creature.

 

Scowling at the newcomers, he sat down in the chair.

 

“Well?” he grumbled, mustache twitching.

 

Usopp's eyes bugged out at such a deep voice coming from such a small man. Swallowing, he bowed.

 

“I...I have the...uh...urm....” he stuttered.

 

“Well, hurry up boy, I haven't got all day! Give it to me!” Ikehara ordered, pointing to the desktop.

 

Usopp reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the little creature. The snail wore the same scowling face and mustache as the man in front of him, making no mistake as to whom it belonged to. He placed it on the desk and bowed again.

 

“I...was out hunting and nearly stepped on it,” he lied.

 

“I don't care where you found it, or how, boy. The fact of the matter is that the person I gave it to lost it, and therefore must be punished.”

 

Usopp visibly paled and Franky gulped at that.

 

“But...but...but, you said that a little girl had it. Is...are you going to punish a _child_ for losing it? Children lose things all the time! Why, I remember when...” the brown-skinned man began.

 

“I don't care to hear your story about losing anything, boy. The fact of the matter is that the girl lost marine property and needs to be reminded that doing so could come back to cause her trouble. She will be suitably punished for this transgression.”  
  
“You...aren't going to punish her Mom, are you?” Usopp said, gripping the handle of his bag tightly. “You said you wouldn't if it was returned! I returned it!”

 

“I said no such thing,” Ikehara said, sitting back and steepling his fingertips in front of him. “I said that the girl's mother wouldn't be _killed._ I never said anything about not punishing her.”

 

Usopp bristled at the captain. “You...you _monster!_ ” he spat out, fuming in barely restrained anger. “This is a little girl's MOTHER! A child _needs_ their mother!”

 

The sniper's mind briefly flashed back to the lonely months after his mother died. How he felt that no one cared if he lived or died. To hungry nights as he fell asleep in his mother's bed, inhaling her scent and committing her laugh to memory.

 

His shoulders slumped in defeat.

 

Ikehara noticed the change and smiled, knowing he had won.

 

“C'mon Mesopp. What's done is done. This no longer concerns us. We should get ta goin' 'fore we make things worse,” Franky said, gently placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder. Usopp nodded, his mind overwhelmed with pity for the courageous little girl.

 

Usopp looked at the captain. “Captain Ikehara-san, if I may be so bold. I lost my mother at a young age and I had to learn how to survive. I beg of you to not do this to the girl. Let her have her mother. Please. Let her mother live,” he begged. “Don't...don't leave the girl all alone,” he added, swallowing as his eyes filled with tears.

 

“I will consider your request, boy. But I make no promises,” Ikehara replied, raising his chin haughtily. “Now go before I change my mind.”

 

Usopp bowed low again and left the room.

 

Franky took a step back towards the door before turning to face the Marine captain.

 

“Mesopp an' I thank ya fer seeing us. An' fer takin' inta consideration the girl an' her mom fer us. I hope tha' yer kindness'll have the girl doin' wha'ever it is tha' requires her ta use a Marine-issue den den mushi.” He bowed as he too left the room.

 

Ikehara frowned as he realized that the larger man knew that something was up.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Bastil led the way out of the building and down the stairs, Franky walking on the path next to the Marine, Usopp following a few steps behind. Hands stuffed deep into his pockets, Usopp's shoulders were slumped as he walked, his head down.

 

Franky stopped to look at a large field full of marines holding swords. Usopp, still walking with his head down, bumped into Franky. He turned to see what Franky was looking at.

 

A large man with dingy blond hair and a bandaged nose used a katana to make easy work out of his fellow marines. At least eight of them were lying in the dirt with various injuries, blood staining the ground as medical personnel hurried to pick them up and move them out of the way of the fight. The blond took out four more marines with one massive swipe of his blade, and then leaped into the middle of a group of six, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. By the time the dust cleared, all six men were lying on the ground, most of them groaning, with at least two obviously unconscious.

 

Usopp watched, his jaw on the ground.

 

Franky shook his head as he walked away, being sure to nudge Usopp with his shoulder. The dark-skinned teen closed his mouth and hurried over to Bastil.

 

“Are...are all of you Marines trained like that?" he asked the sailor.

 

“Yup. Ikehara wants us to be able to protect you all from pirates,” Bastil explained. “The marines that were injured will be placed in remedial weapons training after they heal. They're obviously not strong enough yet. Those of us that are strong like myself are given important assigned duties. Its something everyone on this base aspires to.”

 

“Is... he included in that?” Usopp asked, pointing to the large blond, now wiping off his katana with a blood-splattered rag. Unnoticed by the blond marine, the last two marines were quickly carried off the field on stretchers. The huge man seemed unperturbed by the fact that he had injured his fellow marines. A smaller marine with dark hair in a ponytail walked over to the blond and began talking to him, the skin on his face, neck and arms covered in multiple small bandages. The blond scowled at the brunet but nodded, their conversation too far away for either Franky or Usopp to hear.

 

“Yeah. That's Monty. He's the best swordsman on the base. He's gearing up to do a....” Bastil stopped walking and looked around. Satisfied that there was no one close enough to hear him, he leaned in close to Usopp.

 

“There's a dangerous man here on the island, and Monty's going after him. If you see a man with three katana and green hair, steer clear of him, okay?” he murmured in a stage whisper. “The man that Monty's going after is a dangerous pirate!”

 

“P... _pirate?_ ” Usopp squeaked back, making sure to look terrified while Franky just looked worried.

 

“Yeah. It would do us a great service if you would tell us if you ever see such a man, okay? He was spotted with a skinny blond male accomplice that smokes. Let us know, and I'm sure that Captain Ikehara would be happy to reward you both.”

 

Both Franky and Usopp nodded in agreement.

 

Nearly bumping into them again, Hayden rushed by the three men as they stood on the path that lead back to the office, carrying what looked like a uniform. Dark, wavy hair flowed out from behind the maid, who apologized yet again but hurried nonstop up the stairs of the office building and disappeared inside.

 

“I hope that she doesn't get in too much trouble. A girl that pretty shouldn't have to do the things that the Captain forces her to,” Bastil said, watching as the door closed.

 

“He doesn't...have s...sex with...with,” Usopp asked hoarsely when they began to walk again.

 

“Not that I've heard, but then again, the Captain has a pretty freaky fetish,” he said in hushed tones. “He has a thing for nice hair. All of his immediate staff have thick, long hair. But from what I've heard, Hayden is the only one that gets _special treatment,_ if you know what I mean.” The sailor winked and grinned.

 

Franky returned the grin.

 

Usopp shuddered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, btw, I completely forgot about Franky's unique way of speaking in previous chapters! OTL Since I don't do rewrites (its a great way to see how far I've come in the future when I don't), what's written is written. However, I'll do my best to try and remember in the future. If I forget again, (or if you think I overdid it) feel free to ~~smack me upside the head~~ tell me, okay?
> 
> I adore hard concrit, ask Eiri, my hard-assed beta! >:P


	6. Personal Observational Journal of Human Interactions (aka What is it That Makes Humans “Human?”): Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chopper encounters a complication to his observation of Sanji and Zoro's new relationship.  
> (The first part is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5423237/chapters/12530483 )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is unbeta-ed. Put the blame to any typos and whatnot on me.
> 
> For those of of us in the US, here's a little something to ease the pain of Tax Day. (>_>)

 

Tony Tony Chopper sat at his desk in the infirmary of the Thousand Sunny, the open journal containing his doctor's notes in front of him . Nearly everyone had already left the ship for the day, leaving Robin on watch. Even Franky and Usopp had left, apparently on an errand was all the little doctor was able to overhear.

  
He added notes on the plants he had found on Ochre Island and their medicinal properties into the journal before he decided that he was finished. Sitting back, he replaced the book in with his others on the desk before pulling out a thinner notebook from a locked drawer. Flipping it open to a blank page, he began to write.

  
_Usopp: Entry Number One _

  
_I originally started writing these notes in order to understand_ _how is it that two human m_ _ales_ _can fall in love and date. But now I'_ _m_ _seeing_ _an_ _interesting complication._

  
_Usopp._

  
_He's not taking the idea of Sanji and Zoro dating too well._

  
_He seems...shocked...”that two such strong men would want to be with each other.”_ _(His words.)_

  
_I have to admit that I didn't see it coming either, but then again, I'm a reindeer._

  
_Usopp seems to be against_ _the idea of Sanji and Zoro dating._

  
_Robin says that its not his business, and that Sanji and Zoro are still the same strong men they_ _always were_ _. Its just that they're_ _now_ _closer_ _emotionally_ _to each other as well_ _._

  
_To me, the_ _entire thing's_ _a bit weird, but only because they argued so much I thought it was because of hate, not love._

  
_Humans are strange beings._

  
_*_ _~*~*~*~*_

 

 _Usopp and I_ _talked_ _a bit later_ _, and he seems to think that “the idea of two men dating means that they' re w_ _eakened somehow_ _.”_ _(My quotes.)_

 

 _This must be a strictly human thing as I see no sign of weakness despite Sanji and Zoro dating._ _I should know. I gave them both thorough exams after he said that._

 

_Both seem as strong as ever to me._

 

 _I suppose in some way, Usopp thinks_ _that this will make them “less of a man,” but how that it supposed to happen, I have no idea._

 

 _*_ _~*~*~*~*_

 

_ Sanji and Zoro: Entry Number Three _

 

_Today, Nami pointed out that Zoro had a “hickey” on his neck._

 

_Robin explained that it is a sign that a human is “owned.”_

 

_I think she means that Zoro is no longer single._

 

_If that is true, then why doesn't Sanji have one?_

 

 _I think I_ _prefer_ _the human tradition of rings showing that one human belongs to another._

 

_It probably wouldn't hurt as much._

  
_*_ _~*~*~*~*_

 

_Today, I began in earnest my research about the type of relationship that two humans of the same sex can have. Its a subject I had never researched before, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I found a brief chapter of it in one of my medical tomes._

 

_Apparently, two humans of the same sex CAN still have sexual relations._

 

_Interesting._

 

_I never would have guessed that it was possible since the...parts...are the same._

 

_I'm going to have to do more research on this._

 

_I wonder where can I buy books that goes into more detail about this subject?_

 

 


	7. Outstanding Students

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...and there are those that learn quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am truly sorry to anyone that was forced to wait for me to update. 
> 
> In early June, AoiTsuki, my six and a half year old laptop bricked with this nearly finished chapter trapped on it. (I’m sure you heard the horrified shriek when it bricked right when I was attempting to save it onto my external hard drive.) It took until the end of October for my sister and I to be able to coordinate shipping her old notebook laptop to me. (I now live in a different state from most of my family.)
> 
> Then Life and the end of the year holidays hit, and hit hard, both in good ways and in bad. I had to deal with it all.
> 
> Next, in January, 2017, a friend was able to take out my old laptop’s hard drive and grab this chapter for me. (Jessie, I really love you for this! Sorry if the amount of yaoi on my old laptop scared you. (^//////^); )
> 
> And finally, I am now working on my very first One Piece Big Bang entry! I”m very happy but also its eating up a LOT of my time ~~(when my fucking muse lets me work on it, that is. >: / )~~
> 
> Still, I wanted everyone to know that I am kind of proud of this pivotal chapter and I was loathed to re-write it. So to me, all of the hardships and whatnot was worth it. I hope you find it worth the wait as well. ~~That is, unless Life decides to be a bitch once again.~~ OMFG, did I really start this chapter over a year ago? I’ll do my best to try and post in a more timely fashion (once I’ve finished writing the OPBB story, that is. (^_~) ) 
> 
> So if you are still reading Moonshine, Blood and Chains, I truly appreciate your patience and dedication and I apologize for taking so long. Thank you.
> 
> Ryuichi
> 
> P.S. I couldn’t have posted this chapter without Eiri’s betaing. So lets give him a hand! * chops off Crocodile’s left hand and gives it to Eiri *

 

 

Sanji hated himself.

  
Standing halfway in the narrow street in front of the storefront's huge display window, he let the smoke from his latest cigarette ease its way out of his nostrils. He stared at nothing while the occasional person made their way down the grungy street.

 

An aura of self-loathing, anger and frustration flowed off of him in waves.

 

 _Admit it, you_ _selfish asshole_ _. Admit to yourself that you originally saw Zoro as a way to get yourself off_ , he thought, frowning.

 

A little old lady  approaching the frowning blond  standing in the middle of the road instead chose to cross the  dirty street.  She hugged her bag of vegetables in front of her as if  it  was a shield.

 

_Taking time to charm one of the_ _beautiful_ _island girls would only leave_ _her with_ _a lifetime of heartache and regret,_ _forever looking to the horizon for someone that would more than likely never return. Not to mention if she got pregnant. I don't want any squalling brats, nor pissed-off parents looking for me to be responsible to their_ precious angel.

 

_Buying a lady of the evening, out of the question. I've never had to stoop to paying for sex._

 

Sanji blew out a smoke-filled sigh just as the little old lady passed behind him. She startled and walked a little faster.

 

 _I_ _'l_ _l_ never _sully lovely N_ _ami-swan and Robin-chwan_ _'s elegance with something so base and carnal_ _as sex_ _._ _Even as an act of love from one that worships the very ground beneath their feet._

 

_The others in the crew are men._

 

_Fuck._

 

_Face it, Zoro_ _is_ _the perfect way to get my rocks off. He's on the crew, he's not half-bad looking, he's_ _willing to lear_ _n_ _and he's strong._ _I can do whatever I want to him and_ _I bet_ _he'll allow it._ _Lure the ignorant lug in, have my way with him anytime I want, doing anything I want and no regrets._

 

_He wants it._

 

_He_ _wants_ me _._

 

_So why do I feel like shit for wanting to take advantage of him...uh...the situation?_

 

_Maybe because he thinks he's in love with me. Does he even_ know _what love is?_

 

_Do_ I  _know what love is? What it_ truly _is?_

 

_Fuck._

 

_This is too fucking complicated._

 

He inhaled the last puff from his cigarette, then dropped it to the street, smoke flowing from his nostrils. He stepped hard on the lit butt, causing a loose cobblestone to skitter away.

 

Turning the corner, the little old lady practically ran at the sound.

 

 _I promised the moss-brain that I would make his first time having sex special. But, how_ exactly _do two guys do it?_

 

Not willing to admit to anyone that _any_ part of his sexual knowledge was lacking, Sanji made up his mind. Ignoring signs that proclaimed ‘Adult Books Here!’ and ‘If you can dream it, we have it!’ the blond took in a deep breath and opened the door.

 

The interior of the bookstore was cleaner than he expected. Lit just well enough to read the books, the few customers inside did just that, ignoring him as well as each other.

 

Sanji made his way over to a section proudly declaring, ‘Girl on Girl Action---WITH PICTURES!!!’

 

Picking up one of the thick books, he opened it to a random page in the middle.

 

And stopped.

 

Two very well-drawn women lay on a round bed full of pillows. One girl’s head was between the legs of the other girl, her voluptuous ass and most intimate lady parts facing the reader as though the artist had stood right behind her as they were sketched.

 

Sanji slammed the book shut and sniffled, fighting back a nosebleed.

 

No one reacted to the sounds.

 

Taking in a deep breath, Sanji opened the book again to a different page, this one showing the two women from a different angle. Turning the page, the drawing changed slightly, the closer girl's arm raised slightly.

 

Brow furrowed, S anji closed the book and then started from the beginning, letting the pages slide out from under his thumb and watched as one woman pleasured the other with her tongue  while the other one  thrashed about  in the throws of passion.

 

It was a flip book.

 

His hands shaking, he replaced it and picked up another one. Opening it, he saw writing on one page and the picture of a woman dancing nude on the opposite one. Apparently the story was on one side of the book’s pages and the pictures on the other.

 

_What man in their right mind would bother to_ _actually_ read _the story when you can have women doing...things on the other side simply by flipping the pages?_

 

Turning around, he realized the other customers were not reading either. They were all flipping their books. The store was filled with nothing but flipbooks!

 

_I came in here for a specific purpose, I might as well get started._

 

Taking a deep breath, the cook replaced the book on the shelf and stared straight ahead. Not seeing the titles before him, he squared his shoulders, gathered his courage and strode to the back of the store.

 

None of the other customers looked up from their books as he passed them.

 

 

He stopped at a random shelf and looked up at the sign.

 

‘Men for Men.’

 

He perused the titles until he found one in block script, _'His First Time:_ _Fingers’_ _._

 

His hand hovered over the spine of the book for a moment, and then he reached forward and snatched it quickly from the shelf.

 

He opened it to the very first page, purposely ignoring the picture on the opposite page and read the first paragraph.

 

 _Is that it?_ he thought.

 

Exasperated, he opened to the middle of the book.

 

The page opposite showed a man on all fours, his mouth open in apparent pleasure, while another man had his fingers....

 

Sanji squeezed his eyes shut for a few moments. Steeling himself, he looked closer at the picture before going to the front of the book and flipping the pages. Watching the drawings shift and move, he closed the book and then flipped through it once more before turning to a random page and reading.

 

 _O_ _h, okay,_ he thought, turning to the next page. Before he knew it, he had become engrossed in the well-written story.

 

Feeling a need for a cigarette, the blond looked out the window to realize that the sun was high overhead. It was early morning when he first entered the shop.

 

Shaking his head, he looked at the shelf to see a number of volumes of “His First Time” books. Grabbing a nearby hand-basket, he picked out one of each of the different volumes and proceeded to the checkout.

 

The other men continued to ignore him.

 

Behind the counter, a slender, middle-aged man put down the book he was reading and blinked up at the blushing Mugiwara.

 

“You'll love these books.” The storekeeper winked as he pulled the books from the basket. “I _personally_ know the author, they're very talented. They come through here every now and then to give me their latest work.”

 

Blushing even more, Sanji gave the storekeeper a pained smile and reached into his pocket. He hurriedly counted out the beli and handed it to the storekeeper.

 

“I'm due to get a shipment of their newest books in a couple of days,” the man continued pleasantly. “If you want, I can put aside any new installments of this series for you.” He placed the books in a large brown paper bag and handed it to the blond.

 

“Yeah, sure. That'll be fine,” Sanji muttered, as he practically ran out the door.

 

“Come back again!” the shopkeeper cried as the door closed behind the chef.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Ignoring the nervous sweat trickling down his back, Zoro walked in as if he owned the place.

 

Unsuccessfully trying not to blush, he walked over to the ornate divan where an older woman was reclining, a spiced cigarette in a long holder between her slender fingers.

 

Her sharp eyes took in the swordsman's muscular body and sweaty chest before settling on the three katana at his side.

 

“I need to speak to one of your workers,” he demanded in a gruff voice.

 

“Which one? I haven't seen you around here before,” she purred, inhaling from the holder.

 

“A man, any man,” Zoro replied as the woman blew fragrant smoke to one side.

 

Zoro blushed.

 

“I see. For...?”

 

“I have...questions,” he said, the blush making its way down his throat. The woman's sharp eyes followed as a single drop of nervous sweat made its way between green eyebrows, only to drip off the end of Zoro's nose.

 

“Questions,” she parroted back, inhaling from the holder again.

 

“Look, are you going to let me speak to one of your guys or not?” Zoro growled, the blush spreading to his chest.

 

Not able to keep the amused expression from her eyes, the woman waved an elegant hand.

 

“I'll let you 'talk' to Jerdo. He's very patient with...those that have yet to be _touched_ ,” she declared, rising.

 

Embarrassed, he fleetingly pictured decapitating the woman.

 

Interrupting his daydream, she sashayed past him towards a red curtain, her dress rustling against the ends of his katana.

 

Zoro sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly as he face burned as red as the curtain. The madam spoke quietly to someone he couldn’t see before she sashayed back.

 

“It will be the same price as if you were...partaking...of his services,” she informed the swordsman, holding out her hand.

 

“That's fine,” he grunted. Glad that he had borrowed more money than he needed from Nami, he handed the madam a small pouch of beli.

 

Hefting the bag, the madam replaced the holder back in her mouth. “This is good for all day...or all night if you wish to prepay.”

 

“All day is fine,” Zoro rumbled.

 

“That's fine,” she smiled, pushing him firmly from behind. “Go through the curtain and take a left.”

 

Zoro grunted his thanks to the madam and went through the curtain. Making a right, he walked through a door, only to find himself in an alley.

 

“OI!” he shouted, pounding on the door. Pulling out Wado Ichimonji, he swung at the door just as it opened, narrowly missing the surprised face of a dark-haired man. Stunned, the handsome brunet could only stare at the swordsman resheathing his katana.

 

“Sorry,” Zoro muttered.

 

Zoro saw the handsome brunet blink a few times before he gave him a smile that didn't quite seem to make it to wary green eyes that almost matched Zoro’s hair.

 

“I'm Jerdo,” he said as he held open the door. Somewhat mollified, Zoro went inside.

 

“Zoro. I have some questions,” he said gruffly, following the taller man into a suite. Through a second door, he could see an ornate sunken bathtub in what was obviously a bathroom. Looking around, the swordsman noted a wide four-poster bed, a nightstand and a comfortable-looking chair.

 

Long, gauzy sea-green fabric cascaded from the tops of the bedposts and could be lowered for protect from mosquitoes. The whitewashed walls were bare, except for one painting.

 

Looking closer at the painting, Zoro realized that what looked like a closeup of pale snakes was actually the limbs of two men entwined in the throes of passion.

 

Blushing, he turned away from the painting and stood next to the chair.

 

“You may have a seat,”Jerdo said, his deep voice like silk.

 

Unable to relax enough to fully trust the man he had paid for, Zoro decided that standing might be better.

 

“I'm fine here,” he stated, watching carefully as Jerdo all but poured himself onto the bed. Zoro's dark eye followed the male whore's movements, subtly appreciating the man's appearance as well as his elegance.

 

He wasn't as _beautiful_ nor as elegant as Sanji but he looked good settling on the bed nonetheless.

 

“Ceilie informed me that you had some questions,” Jerdo began coquettishly, his smile finally reaching his eyes.

 

“Yeah, about...” Zoro began, then paused.

 

“Sex?”

 

“...yeah,” Zoro said, blushing.

 

“It's okay to talk about it. Nearly everyone eventually has sex. It's a very powerful instinct,” the brunet explained. “It's okay to be curious too. Many of my customers come to me to find out the truth. Anything we talk about is kept in the strictest confidence, Zoro-sama. No one else will know of what we speak of, so you may talk freely.”

 

Zoro listened and bobbed his head once in understanding. Gripping Wado's hilt tightly, he took a deep breath and held it. Balling his other hand into a white-knuckled fist, Zoro exhaled slowly.

 

Jerdo waited patently as the swordsman gathered his nerve.

 

“I need to find out how...uh....how...” Zoro stammered. The redness that had stained his cheeks began again to slowly spread down his throat. Gritting his teeth, he exhaled and scowled at the floor, the other man temporarily forgotten while he tried to reign in his embarrassment.

 

Looking up at Jerdo, he steeled himself. “How do two men have sex?” he deadpanned, his knuckles white on Wado's hilt.

 

The blush had spread all the way to his chest and a thin bead of sweat made its way down the side of his cheek and dripped off his chin.

 

Silently observing the swordsman's dilemma, Jerdo bowed his head to show he had heard the question. He shifted on the bed and faced Zoro.

 

“First and foremost, Zoro-sama, making love with someone you care about is a beautiful and magical experience,” Jerdo began. “It is a way for two people to show how much they care about each other, by giving each other the gift of their bodies as well as their emotions to form a connection between their souls.”

 

“If making love is such a _beautiful_ and _magical experience_ , why do you _sell_ it?” Zoro asked, his eye a hard steel-gray as he glared at the male whore.

 

Brushing a dark lock of hair out of his face, Jerdo sighed. “I was afraid you'd ask that, Zoro-sama. I do so because some people just need physical relief without the emotional strings of being with a lover. No attachments. I also provide a service for those that need to do different things that might otherwise hurt the one they love.”

 

Jerdo's green eyes met Zoro's gray one. “Not everyone wants magic. Some just want to fuck.”

 

Zoro said nothing, his gray eye scrutinizing Jerdo's green ones for a long moment before he nodded solemnly. Taking a seat in the chair, he leaned forward, his forearms on his knees and his fingers clasped as he made himself comfortable.

 

“Tell me more,” he urged Jerdo.

 

*~*~*~*

 

“I want to thank you guys for doing this. I really appreciate it,” Bastil said fondly as he raised his sake cup. Grinning happily, he took a long drink.

 

“It's nothin' dude, after all, I was thirsty afta' waitin' in that line at tha' Marine base, Mesopp was too, right bro?” Franky explained, lifting his own cup and drinking.

 

“Yeah, it was a long, hot wait in the sun,” the sniper agreed, sipping his spiced fruit juice.

 

“Lucky for me that you guys came towards the end of my shift!” the redhead said, taking another healthy pull.

 

Franky and Usopp exchanged quick glances at each other while the marine drank.

 

“Yeah, and it's great to find a new friend as well, right Granky?” Usopp replied, nodding.

 

“New buddies are always good ta find!” Franky said as Bastil thumped his cup down. Signaling Tanya for a refill, the cyborg pointed to the marine.

 

“Tanya's family makes this sake to sell to nearby islands, yannow? But this lovely lady also specializes in a sake you can only find here at her booth!” the marine explained, his words slurred.

 

“That's true,” Tanya replied, pouring another full cup for the sailor. “If you like, I can get you a sample of my special brew,” she offered, smiling at Usopp.

 

“It's okay. I have to make sure that these two can get back home safely,” the sniper pointed out, smiling bashfully.

 

“How about you sir?” she asked Franky, being sure to bend over enough for the cyborg to get an eyeful of her breasts.

 

“Sure thing!” Franky said, gesturing towards Bastil. “Get my buddy here a taste o' your special brew, willya?” he added, completely missing what Tanya was doing.

 

Bastil's eyes bugged out as he ogled the ripe flesh, causing him to inhale instead of drinking his sake. Coughing, his spittake barely missed Usopp, who was also staring at the buxsom beauty.

 

“Ya okay, bro?” Franky asked, patting the marine on the back.

 

“Oog...” Bastil grunted, still coughing as Tanya leaned even further over to smile prettily at him, Usopp's nose practically buried in her bosom.

 

“I'll be right back, okay?” she tittered, winking at Bastil as she stood back upright. She swayed her hips as she moved away. Usopp drained his juice and slammed the glass back down on the table.

 

“I want some of her special boob...uh, _brew_ too!” he declared, blushing.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“But NAAAAAMMMMIIIIII! I wasn't done eating!” the overstuffed Mugiwara captain groused. The currently rotund man waddled behind her as she lead the way away from the restaurant, a slender hand firmly grasped around his wrist.

 

“I don't care Luffy! 'All you can eat buffet' does _not_ mean you can pick all of the meat trays off the buffet table and dump each and _every one_ of them into your mouth! I wanted to do some clothes shopping, not spend all of _my_ money on _your_ appetite!”the fiery redhead lectured.

 

“I found it rather amusing,” Brook cheerfully added.

 

“You're not helping!” she screeched back.

 

The musician hid his mouth behind his paisley scarf, ducking his head slightly when Nami glared daggers at him. Heading out into the crowd, she didn't see the elderly man until was too late. He bounced off of her ample chest and fell down as she stumbled back into Brook, her hand releasing Luffy's wrist.

 

“That lady knocked Gramps down!” a small boy cried out to his sister.

  


“Whoa Nami, that 'jiisan bumped right into your boobs!” Luffy shouted, laughing hysterically.

  


“I am _so sorry_ sir! I didn't see you at all!” she admitted, taking in a deep breath to brace herself physically before holding out her hand.

  


Still sitting on the hard ground, the elderly man's eyes never left her chest.

  


“If you would be so kind sir, would you ask to see her panties?” Brook asked, grinning behind his scarf.

  


That comment broke the stalemate as Nami huffed indignantly. “Broo k ! Luffy! Help me pick Ojii-san up!” she hissed at the pair.  His two grandchildren could only stare and blink at the  three  pirates  while the y carefully lifted the elderly man  and gently  placed  him  back on his feet.

  


“Thank you,” the older girl said timidly as both she and her brother bowed. Her face more a grimace than a smile, Nami inclined her head at the trio as she guided Luffy and Brook away, the old man still staring after her before Nami melted into the crowd.

  


“I need a drink after that,” Nami said, leading her nakama over to a neighborhood bar.

  


*~*~*~*~*

 

High heels in hand, Hayden slipped down the spiral dungeon stairs, knowing that if Captain Ikehara found out, Arron would be the one to suffer the worst punishment.

 

Daytime meant that Arron would more than likely be asleep, yet the maid felt that it was imperative that Ochre Island's most notorious prisoner be told the disappointing news.

 

Saddened, Hayden nearly tripped over the sprawled form of the ex-pirate's daytime guard. Loud snores issued forth from the guard's mouth, a nearly empty bottle of sake clutched in one hand as two more sat on a nearby table.

 

Picking up a small pebble from the rough-hewn floor, the maid tossed it towards the sleeping prisoner. It bounced off of Arron's hand, causing the drowsy prisoner to swat absently as if at a fly. Hayden picked up another pebble and tossed that one as well, hitting Arron in the cheek. The prisoner startled and blearily looked around, red, exhausted eyes momentarily scanning past Hayden towards the sleeping guard before returning to the maid. Hayden waited patiently as the large prisoner quietly stood and walked over to the bars of the cage.

 

Blinking, Arron scrutinized the much smaller maid before reaching out a massive hand to brush it tenderly across a soft brown cheek. Hayden leaned into the gentle touch, eyes closed.

 

Afraid to speak for fear that the guard would wake, Hayden handed a tiny piece of paper to the prisoner. Nodding, Arron took it and turned so that the light from the lamp at the far end of the cell fell onto the carefully written note. Reaching through the bars, the maid rested a slender hand against the prisoner's substantial back. Muscular shoulders shaking, Arron carefully balled up the paper before popping it into a massive mouth, chewing and then swallowing the ball of pulp.

 

Turning around, Arron's rich purple eyes gazed sadly into Hayden's hazel ones as the pair reached out to clasp their hands together.

 

Tears of disappointment began to flow down the cheeks of Ketzie’s father and mother.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Ketzie woke up in a cold sweat, her bunny plushie clutched tight in her arms. Shaking her head, she brushed hair out of her face before looking at the misshapen toy.

 

“George, I had the most terrible nightmare!” she whispered, holding the plushie tight. “I dreamed that Ikehara said I couldn't visit Mom and Dad....”

 

Stopping in mid-sentence, she gasped as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

 

“H...he did say that, didn't he?” she whispered to the bunny, who didn't reply. The brown-haired girl sobbed into the bunny's head, letting out all of her frustrations at the thought of being kept away from the two reasons she had the strength and courage to keep working for the much-hated Marines. As her tears wound down, the energy used caused her stomach to growl. Getting up from the makeshift bed, she made the blankets ready for her to return to it and placed the pillow neatly at the head of the mattress.

 

“I'm going to see if its time for some food,” she told the bunny. “You guard the house for me, okay, George?” Patting the bunny back into some semblance of its normal shape, she tenderly placed him onto the pillow. Going to the bathroom sink, she ran the rarely-used faucet until the water turned from brown to clear. She splashed water on her face, washing away the tear tracks.

 

Re-locking the door as she left the house, she used her Camo Camo no Mi powers to hide herself before carefully looking around to make sure that no one was watching. Only the faintest of ripples in the air showed her position. Walking carefully, she pushed tall flowers and plants aside on her way along the garden path. She replaced the house key under its stone hiding place. Her actions went completely unnoticed by the young boy and girl working across the dirt road.

 

Still camouflaged, she waved sadly at her two friends, even though she knew they couldn’t see her. Glancing up at the sun as she went, she continued walking down the road,

 

Seeing that it was close to noon, she turned visible as she passed behind a huge tree before making her way to the Marines' mess hall for lunch.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Lunch tray in hand, Taylor made his way to the table where Monty sat in the busy mess hall. Taking a seat at the table, the brunet absently scratched at a bandage-covered crab claw injury on his neck before taking a sip of his coffee.

 

Monty shoved the last part of a huge roasted meat sandwich into his mouth, chewing messily before washing it down with a glass of milk. For once, the dishwater blond had listened to Doctor Jackson's advise when it came to healing his broken nose.

 

The thin brunet and the beefy blond had become fast friends during basic training, and had been lucky enough to have been deployed to the same base. Taylor had been assigned a desk, while Monty was trained in katana fighting, where he excelled. Soon, the volatile man had defeated every other katana and sword-fighter in a one-week sea journey radius, and was currently working on besting every sword-fighter within a month’s journey radius.

 

Roronoa Zoro was at the top of Monty's short list of known such fighters to be defeated and taken into custody, something that Ikehara was more than welcome to help him achieve...for his own nefarious reasons.

 

“Here she comes,” Monty said, smiling wickedly as he watched Ketzie enter the mess hall. At one glance of Monty's expression, two fellow sailors got up and left the table the four of them had previously shared.

 

“Why do you harass her?” Taylor asked. “Why not let her eat her lunch today?”

 

“If I did that, she would stay forever soft. If she has to defeat me in order to be able to eat, she'll become a strong marine when she grows up,” Monty explained, grinning evilly.

 

“But if you always take her food, how will she grow up to become stronger?” Taylor questioned the blond marine. “Won't she be forced to steal in order to not starve?”

 

“That's not my problem. “Besides, why is a _kid_ allowed to eat with us Marines?” Monty queried, standing. Other nearby marines got up and quickly moved out of the way as Monty made his way over to the dirty, amethyst-eyed girl where she stood in line. Towering over her and her full tray, he smiled wickedly down at her.  
  
“Nice of you to get my third helping for me,” he proclaimed to the skinny girl. Reaching for her tray, he ignored the frown on her lips as she held the food away from the much larger marine.

 

“Why not get your own food, you big jerk!” she bristled.

 

Ignoring her protests, he reached for her heaping meat sandwich.

 

“ _Someone_ has to make sure that you learn to take care of yourself!” he said, picking it up.

 

Fuming, Ketzie reacted by kicking the man in the shin. He yelped and dropped the sandwich back onto her tray.

 

“Go away!” she screamed. “Leave my food alone!”

 

Growling, Monty reached once more towards the tiny girl, this time reaching for her entire tray.

 

But this day, Ketzie had had enough.

 

Ducking, she ran with her tray to hide behind a group of sailors as they stood watching. Turning on her devil fruit powers, Ketzie and the tray both appeared to simply disappear, the faintest of ripples in the air belying her movement as she hurried towards the open mess hall door. Reaching it, she simply walked out with the tray, deftly avoiding other marines as they made their way towards the lunch line.

 

The men looked around, stunned that the girl was no longer in sight.

 

Jaw dropped from having watched the entire exchange, Taylor watched while Monty cast around angrily, still determined to find the brown-skinned girl.

 

”She just...vanished,” Taylor accounted. “Vanished into thin air! One moment she was running, and the next...gone!”

 

“Where the _FUCK_ did that little shit go?” the huge blond roared angrily.

 

“Now we know why Captain Ikehara has a kid on the base,” the brunet said thoughtfully.


End file.
